The Morning Cuppa Podcast

The Morning Cuppa Podcast this week welcomes James Carlisle, Transport Manager for Readymix Specialists in London.

Allen and James delve into a variety of topics including the pros and cons of electric vehicles in decarbonising transport, the importance of mental health for drivers, reasons why you shouldn’t burn bridges when you move jobs and the importance of networking with other transport professionals.

James journey into Transport

James story and his journey into the transport industry begins at the age of 16 years when he first moved from Ireland to England and sees him 👇

Climb the ladder to becoming a supervisor for a local authority
Move to a compliance manager role in a waste company in East London
Get made redundant then rehired and promoted to head of logistics

To now where James finds himself as Transport Manager at Readymix Specialists and that is only scratching the surface..

Driver Recruitment

Allen and James also briefly skim the surface of driver recruitment and attracting fresh drivers into the industry

James has a fleet of 26 vehicles and is looking to grow
They discuss how the manual trade needs to be made more attractive to the younger generation

and they question how to bring in new drivers in a world of technology

Mental Health and Awareness

James is a big advocate for raising awareness around mental health, especially for men who are more resistant to opening up
James recently held a CPC course in mental health and is trying to break down the barrier

Giving back

James and his daughter are doing a skydive and later in the year James will be cycling London to Brighton to raise awareness and money for gastroenterology department at Addensbrooke Hospital in Cambridge.
James believes in the importance of networking and working together to create a safe standard within the industry

Impact on Sustainability

Allen and James both have thoughts around whether electric vehicles or hydrogen-powered vehicles are the answer

James Carlisle's Advice to young and upcoming Transport Managers

Recommends using LinkedIn to connect and network
Believes no question is a stupid question and encourages reaching out to training providers for help

To see more of the work of our guest this week James Carlisle find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-carlisle-a643b3a4/

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

James journey into TransportDriver RecruitmentMental Health and AwarenessGiving BackImpact on SustainabilityJames Carlisle's Advice to young and upcoming Transport Managers

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In this episode of the Morning Cuppa podcast, Allen is joined in the cab by Mark Cowan from Min Train. Mark is also the Director of transport logistics and concrete at British Aggregates Association.

Mark has been on a long road campaigning for improved standards within the construction transport sector, something he’d achieved with his own courses and now the DVSA’s earned recognition scheme expanding to mixers.

Mark and Allen get into how that passion for improving construction developed, all the way from Mark’s start as a driver, to delivering pure and simple solutions to ongoing industry problems.

Mark believes in practising what you preach, and so makes sure to be involved in the day-to-day of those with whom he wants to raise the standards.

If you want to practice what you preach and become a better transport professional, check out this latest episode.

As discussed in the chat with Mark here is the link to the blog titled ‘Understand the difference between Misinformation and Disinformation’ → https://min-train.com/transport/nnderstand-the-difference-between-misinformation-and-disinformation/

To see more of the work of our incredible guest Mark Cowan find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-cowan-1aa8a2128/ also to find out more about Min Train head to their website - https://min-train.com/

and to learn more about the British Aggregates Association head → https://www.british-aggregates.co.uk/

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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In this Morning Cuppa Podcast, Allen gets into the life and experiences of Steve Kirchell of KCS. Despite 34 years in the industry, Steve is currently a new member to KCS, meaning he has quite an interesting perspective on getting himself familiar with a new organisation and all the struggles that come with that.Steve’s story is one of pragmatism and dedication, having dropped aspirations to be an astronaut but doing everything he could to build an immensely successful career in Transport. Steve’s principle is to be people first, and that’s served him well in those 34 years - by allowing honesty and openness to thrive. Steve also opens up about how important it is to allow your mindset to change as you develop. Talking to so many people has broadened Steve’s perspective and allowed him to ‘mature’. His understanding of human nature and the nature of mistakes - something it is important for new TMs to make if they are to develop, too. If you want to see more of the work of our incredible guest Steve Kirchell find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-kirchell-8951a73/also to find out more about the company Steve Kirchell has newly started working for KCS head to their linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kcssocial/

or their website - https://www.kcs.co.uk/

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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In this episode of the Morning Cuppa podcast, Allen is joined by Craig Wilmore of Tripod Crest. Craig is a TM with a deep commitment to safety and efficiency, something he strives to accomplish through thorough use of technology and the various advancements in the industry. As a forward-thinking TM, Craig discusses his alternative route into his role, and how that has positioned him well to be a great TM.

In an industry facing a driver and skills shortage, Craig explains how his open-door policy has helped with staff retention and how cultivating a safe space to discuss mental health has benefited his drivers.

Allen delves into the secrets behind Craig’s success, so if you want to find out how you can be a better TM, or you just want to widen your leadership skills, then this is the pod for you.

If you want to see more of the work of our incredible guest Craig Wilmore find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-wilmore-48a405112/

also to find out more about Tripod Crest head to their website - https://tripodcrest.co.uk/

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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Allen is joined this week by Justin Waite of Breeden Group - an experienced TM and transport professional.

Justin and Allen get into his history in the industry, how to not put all your eggs in one basket, being a jack of all trades, and supporting women in the industry.

If you want to see more of the work of our incredible guest Justin Waite find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-waite-milt-4b2a3214/

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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In this episode, Allen is joined by compliance expert Terry Hattle of Raw Transport Compliance Specialists.Terry dives into his history in transport, how to assess your strengths, when to turn a customer down, and the importance of providing value.If you want to see more of the work of our incredible guest Terry Hattle find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-hattle/ or check out his facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2583185078647861/ and go find out more about Terry’s company Raw Transport Compliance Specialists - https://www.raw-tcs.co.uk/and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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This episode sees Allen joined by Sean AGI Global Logistics, a TM who has had a passion for transport from a young age thanks to Optimus Prime. Starting off as a driver, Sean worked his way up to a Coordinator role and eventually to a TM. Allen and Sean get into the disconnect between those on the road and those in the office, and how having a TM that has been a driver provides valuable insight.

If you want to see more of the work of our guest Sean Connor find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-connor-64b03819a/

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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In this week's pod Allen is joined by Jessie Frahm, founder of Planet One Point Five.

Jessie's background was originally in finance but quickly found her head turned by a more existential question, that of climate change.

As Planet One Point Five is an environmental consultant for businesses, Allen uses this pod to get Jessie's views on the transport industry, and how the various businesses within it contribute to global harm.

Here are a few links mentioned in the pod including our brand new product the Transport Managers Collective - find out more at tmcollective.co.uk

CSRD → https://www.efrag.org/lab6?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

SASB → https://www.sasb.org/

BCorp → https://bcorporation.uk/

GRI → https://www.globalreporting.org/

If you want to see more of the incredible work of our guest Jessie Frahm find her on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessiefrahm/ and find more information about her company - https://planetonepointfive.com/ and find her company on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@planetonepointfive

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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On this episode of the Morning Cuppa Podcast, Allen is joined by Frank Morris from FNM Transport Limited. Frank is an experienced TM and compliance consultant with shed loads of experience. In this episode, they focus on supporting each other's mental health, how to spot a bullshitter when taking on new transport management clients, and some great advice for how to be an external TM.

Here are a few links mentioned in the pod including our brand new product the Transport Managers Collective - find out more at tmcollective.co.uk

If you want to see more of the incredible work of our guest Frank Morris find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-morris-cmilt-58143154 and find more information about his company - https://www.fnmtransportltd.co.uk/

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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If you're following any trucking spaces on Facebook or Instagram, you'll probably have come across the Adventures of Trucker Lina.

Jump in the cab with Lina and Allen, as they talk about the importance of mistakes, working for yourself, why Lina loves driving, and what encouraged her to start.

If you want to see more of the incredible work of our guest Lina Ildiko Lazar find her youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@UCNEA1iIOPAlWZKKWs5kYHDg

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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This week Allen jumps in the cab with Phil Breen of DVSA's Earned Recognition scheme. They discuss how the Earned Recognition standard aims to raise the quality of this country's operators, how it works, and how it aims to develop in the years to come. Also find out why Phil believes his scheme differs from other popular transport accreditations.

Here are a few links mentioned in the pod including our brand new product the Transport Managers Collective - find out more at tmcollective.co.uk

If you want to see more of the incredible work of our guest Phil Breen find him on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-breen/ and get more information on the DVSA Earned Recognition → https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dvsa-earned-recognition-guidance-and-forms

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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This week Allen is joined by another exciting guest, Vikki Kroll, CEO and Founder of Esitu Solutions.Esitu solutions look to revolutionise driver safety and compliance by providing accurate predictors for driver risk and competency through their various tests.Vikki and Allen have a pretty interesting chat, covering her start in transport through Psychology, about how she hopes her work saves lives, and how she hopes to save money for operators.

Here are a few links mentioned in the pod including our brand new product the Transport Managers Collective - find out more at tmcollective.co.uk

If you want to see more of the incredible work of our guest Vikki Kroll find her on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-kroll-8a8065b5/ and find her company Esitu Solutions at esitusolutions.comand to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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As you may or may not know, transport is a pretty male-dominated industry. As little as 1% of our country's drivers are women. Women also only make up a small portion of all TMs, operators and the many other roles that make keep your wheels turning, but why? Allen looks to get a perspective from one of the incredible women in the industry, Amanda Duffy, and dive into her thoughts on women in transport, encouraging compliance, and why transport professionals are real-life superheroes.

Here are a few links mentioned in the pod including our brand new product the Transport Managers Collective - find out more at tmcollective.co.uk

If you want to see more of the incredible work of our guest Amanda Duffy find her on linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-duffy-cmilt-4337081b2

and to see more of the man himself, the Morning Cuppa host Allen Talbot find him on linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allentalbot

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This Morning Cuppa Podcast sees 2 old friends discussing the best Driver Retention Strategies and the power of communication - the many forms of communication. It is an interesting conversation where many tangents are made and many topics covered. See how the Allen and Casper communicate not only with the team but their clients, external providers and any other interaction they may have in their role within the company.

Grab your cuppa, and join the boys for another episode of the Morning Cuppa Podcast..

As promised here is the link to our blog on the best driver retention strategies..

We do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy recording and please any feedback is always welcome, any suggestions for guests/topics or even a change of host please do contact us at ~~hello@hubhq.co.uk~~ or find us on Instagram @hub_hq_ and twitter @hub_hq_and as always please don’t forget to follow, share and rate the podcast. Fancy subscribing to the Morning Cuppa Newsletter see 👉 hubhq.co.uk/morning-cuppa

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It’s that time of year where winter driving is at the forefront of everyones mind - so we decided to face it head on and bring to you a podcast all about driving safely in winter.. Our very own copywriter Cai joins Allen today, Cai is responsible for all our blogs, guides, toolbox talks - you see words Cai wrote them! But, there is so much more to it and one integral part of Cai’s job is the research element and at the moment his knowledge on winter driving is expansive, and only growing.

Discover the importance of daily walk around checks, essential equipment that should be carried in winter, what aquaplaning is plus get an insight into Allen’s Christmas movie catalogue and what his 4 year old (secretly Allen) likes to watch at this time of year..

As promised here is the link to our blog on winter driving tips for HGVs..

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A first for the podcast today! we have an inventor, a real life inventor.. Jock Boyle is the creator of the soon to be launched ‘VizOvals Blind Spot Vision’ - designed to enhance your Hazard Perception, reduce Risk and enable Accident Prevention.

From being an HGV driver for 30 years Jock has experienced it all from Hazard Perception and Collision Causation to Prevention Time Management and Driver Psychology - over the years Jock has seen all the advances in technology, systems, rules and regulations brought in to make driving easier and safer for everyone leaving him in good stead for his own invention under a similar remit.

As a military veteran Jock has learnt valuable life lessons that he abides by to this day - one being the 7 Ps - ‘Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance’

Jock Boyle has an interesting story and spills the beans alongside Allen in the passenger seat today - you can find Jock on linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/jockboyle and via his email Jock@oisinventions.com. You can even head to his website to find out more https://oisinventions.com/

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One of our very own listeners Grace Corr has graced us with her presence today and has jumped into the passenger seat alongside Allen.

It is safe to say that the haulage and transport industry is well and truly in Grace’s bones, following in the footsteps of not only her father but grandfather, Grace has quite the experience and know-how of what it is like to live and breath transport. We also discuss balancing being a mum of 2 under the age of 3 and working nights for MP Corr Haulage, all whilst having fun with it!

Strap in for an honest and open conversation about mediocracy, juggling finances and keeping on top of priority training when having the time, capacity and motivation to learn is not top of your list of things to do.

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Another exciting guest in the passenger seat today - join Allen and Company Operations Manager El Ioannou. El has been in the industry for 21 years standing her in good stead for talking sense when it comes to women in construction as well as a vast experience to draw upon from being a women in a male dominated industry.

“ For others to believe in you, you first need to believe in yourself “ El lives by this and certainly has an infectious drive and passion for her career and for supporting and encouraging those around her.

El teases many an exciting project coming up within her company Mr Plant Hire - where El has worked for 5 and a half years. To keep a close eye on what these may be head to El’s instagram → @El_MPH and Linkedin → El Ioannou

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You’ve just got to do what you legally got to do.. The point Allen and John attempt to get across during this 50 minute episode of banter, real life, relived experiences, all in the hope of enlightening you all with ‘Our Learns So Far’ when it comes to the changes of FORS Version 6.0 - and don’t worry there are a fair entertaining few hiccups along the way..

It’s safe to say that if you have an upcoming FORS Audit this is an episode not to be missed.

John certainly knows his stuff and Allen’s not bad either but with a mic each, a vast knowledge of FORS between them and an opinion or two this certainly is a must hear episode..

Discover those easy to make mistakes, most common failures and what not to forget when preparing for your next audit.

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CO₂ gets into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil.

But the solution can't be for the transport industry to just stop its supply chains, and cut off all travel - our economy and way of life would collapse.

So what is the solution?

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What is ‘The Carbon Collective’ I hear you ask.. Wait no longer find out here exactly what ‘The Carbon Collective’ is and why it’s incredibly important to one of our own..

As the name suggests it is a collective and we hope you will join us in our venture to going that little bit more sustainable - head to hubhq.co.uk/carbon-collective

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You’re just in time for the newest Morning Cuppa minisode.

Speaking of time, this episode - as you’ve probably seen in the title - is all about tachographs and driver hours.

Tachographs are a fundamental part in the safety of any HGV business, for reasons I’ll get into - which makes it all the more puzzling that big changes to how you manage your tachograph records can so easily slip under the radar.

Well, today I’ll shine a spotlight on those changes, but also talk about the importance of tachos more generally and how keeping compliant with tacho regulations might allow your business to run more effectively.

We do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy recording and please any feedback is always welcome, any suggestions for guests/topics or even a change of host please do contact us at hello@hubhq.co.uk or find us on Instagram @hub_hq_ and twitter @hub_hq_and as always please don’t forget to follow, share and rate the podcast. Fancy subscribing to the Morning Cuppa Newsletter see 👉 https://www.hubhq.co.uk/morning-cuppa

So, with that all out the way, let’s get into tacho time.

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There is a fresh face in the passenger seat today, so strap in and join Allen as he sits down with Cheshire based External Transport Manager Sami Bowler.

Sami has a breadth of experience in the Transport Industry, from general haulage machines, twenty tonne excavators to abnormal loads 5m wide and over 100tonne in weight and that is only skimming the surface. AND add to that Sami is only 30!

Not afraid to get her hands dirty Sami has recently ventured into the world of ETM’s for small operators who need that little extra help in becoming compliant which as you will hear Sami is absolutely loving. Sami is also a self confessed adrenalin junkie and listen as Sami discusses her love for race car driving, skydiving, horse riding plus so much more.

Sami has grown up in the industry and it’s safe to say she is incredibly passionate about it - Sami hopes her story can inspire other young women and hopes to be a role model for those who don’t have a support network around them.

So put your headphones in, grab your cuppa and put your feet up (or don’t if you are driving), sit back and enjoy

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As you probably already know, All forms of maintenance for commercial vehicles are massively important - especially where wheels and tyres are concerned. Tyres are the vehicle's only point of contact with the road, and those tyres are attached to the wheels - so both are crucial to a vehicle’s safe functioning.

The last thing you’d want as a driver, passenger or even another road user is for one of these wheels, and the attached tyre, to come flying off whilst driving a heavy vehicle at a high speed.

To make sure this doesn’t happen, you’ll want to make re-torquing and checking your wheel nuts an essential and regular part of your regular maintenance process - and that’s why this week I’ll be talking torque.

We do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy recording and please any feedback is always welcome, any suggestions for guests/topics or even a change of host please do contact us at hello@hubhq.co.uk or find us on Instagram @hub_hq_ and twitter @hub_hq_and as always please don’t forget to follow, share and rate the podcast. Fancy subscribing to the Morning Cuppa Newsletter see 👉 https://www.hubhq.co.uk/morning-cuppa

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HGVs are massive, and with that size come a lot of risks. In order to minimise that risk, operators will need to ensure the roadworthiness of each and every vehicle they’re letting drivers out on the road in.

A big part of making sure those vehicles are roadworthy will be a thorough maintenance process, involving your driver’s regular daily walkaround checks, MOTs, and PMIs.

For this morning cuppa minisode, I’m going to be covering why these HGV maintenance processes are so important.

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This week’s Morning Cuppa minisode is going to be all about improving communication throughout your entire business - specifically, the biggest reasons why you’d want to improve communication throughout your business.

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Returning to discuss all things digital and to join Allen in the front seat of the party truck we call The Morning Cuppa Podcast is Elizabeth - yes the term ‘going digital’ can bring up feelings of dread, fear and panic.

We get it, ‘going digital’ was once alien to us too (and trust us we still do love a post it note and good old fashioned pen and paper).Listen to Allen and Elizabeth as they ponder the thought ‘going digital’ had on their past, from their previous jobs to their childhood experiences of instructing at their local sailing club.

So grab a coffee, put your headphones in and see how small changes really can lead to an easier, more sustainable, more effective and more efficient life!

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Hey, Allen from Hub here - welcome to newest morning cuppa minisode. This week i’m going to be sharing the top 5 ways that keeping your transport business compliant will save you money.

I get it, compliance can be an absolute pain. You have to stay on top of paperwork, track a bunch of data, and store it all neatly and tidily - which really isn’t easy.

However, you need to know the many ways that staying compliant can only be good for business and is definitely worth the time and energy.

so, enough chatter, let me get straight into the points i’ve put together, starting with number 1 - the benefit of reducing insurance costs.

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Hey, Allen here. and welcome to the morning cuppa

Bit of a different minisode this week as I’m going to be covering something a bit more topical, but nonetheless crucial to you working in transport.

As you know, we’re living in a cost of living crisis, and the cost of running a successful transport business is also going up, and up, and up.

but that’s all quite vague. what are the costs that are actually going up for transport operators. I’m sure you’ve noticed some, i mean you’re probably paying for all this after all, but i’ll go through them here and that way you might have an idea of what to be checking.

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Sitting in the cab alongside Allen today is Seb the Sales Director at Dropless.

Dropless started as your one stop shop for vehicle care, offering high quality, convenient and sustainable care, all through one app - they have recently developed their Hydroloop tech to bring the same ethos to HGV cleaning.

Listen as Allen and Seb discuss the growth of Dropless, their bespoke water recycling system; Hydroloop and their time efficient, cost saving, digital app.

With 8350662 litres of water saved since April 2018 Seb and the team at Dropless certainly know what they are talking about.

Get your ears in gear, take inspiration from Seb and see the changing world for yourself.. To find out more head to https://dropless.co.uk/ for more information

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The title says it all, join Allen and self proclaimed ‘professional problem solver’ that is Casper Lam to NOT discuss HOW to do a daily walk around. And instead listen as the guys discuss why the process behind carrying out a Daily WalkAround (be it digitally, on a clipboard, through an app or any which way) has the power to make or break the compliance of drivers in carrying them out.

Hear Casper crumble under the pressure of a quick fire round, Allen discuss the integral link between company culture and an effective, efficient and sustainable Daily WalkAround procedure AND find out the real reason why Allen has gone cold turkey on coffee till approx. 7am Saturday morning.!

As mentioned once or twice before, this episode does NOT discuss the actual act of carrying out a Daily WalkAround and *BREAKING NEWS our very own podcast host Allen made a rookie error and has announced a minisode that has been recorded but is due to be dropped in a couple of weeks - apologies, watch this space though.. For now if you fancy reading more about it check out 👉 https://www.hubhq.co.uk/guides/carrying-out-a-daily-walkaround-check AND as Allen mentioned in the episode head here 👉https://www.hubhq.co.uk/walkaround-poster to get your FREE Daily WalkAround poster right away

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Some would say John knows FORS better than FORS knows themselves.. Don’t take our word for it, FORS Version 6 is finally here and who better than our very own in house expert, FORS extraordinaire, truck enthusiast John Appleby.

John returns to the Morning Cuppa to discuss all things Version 6, discussing the changes to FORS Bronze, Silver and Gold, Allen and John deep dive into it all - from the simple but game-changing language updates to the removal of complete sections. Join the boys to hear them have their say on the good things and the not so good things that will come with this change - it may be our longest podcast to date and it may be all things FORS but it does bring with it a lot of laughs.

Oh and make sure to listen carefully for a dropped easter egg of a feature and a chance to win a free case of heavenly Time and Tide beer - who if you don’t know already are our very loyal sponsors. Go check them out at timeandtidebrewing.co.uk

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In this Morning cuppa minisode I’m going to be preparing you for some of the changes coming on the 1st of July 2022 when FORS moves from version 5 to 6.

FORS is constantly making small changes and updates to its standard because the laws, regulations and world we’re living in as constantly changing around it.

This episode will focus on the changes to meet the standards of FORS Bronze - changes that aim to raise the standard and quality of fleet operations. This gets a bit nerdy and technical, so if FORS isn’t for you, then I would probably skip this episode!

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In this Morning cuppa minisode I’m going to be taking a look at company culture, and what benefits it can have for your business.

Company culture is the set of values, attitudes, and behaviours that characterise a company.

It's often thought of as the "personality" of a company.

a positive company culture can improve employee mental health and wellbeing.

In today's world, mental health is more important than ever.

Company culture can also improve employee productivity. When people feel valued and appreciated, they're more likely to be engaged in their work and be more productive.

Finally, a positive company culture can improve employee retention. Turnover is expensive and time-consuming, so it's important to keep employees happy and engaged in their work. A positive company culture is essential to a successful business for all of these reasons.

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In this Morning Cuppa Minisode I’m going to be having a look at the most common FORS mistakes and how you can avoid them.

Going for FORS can be a challenging process at times, i mean, the accreditation wouldn’t mean much if it was easy.

However, it’s very achievable if you know what you need to do.

So here’ i’ll go through the biggest things we’ve seen stop someone passing their audit - and i’ll go through how you can make sure you avoid these biggest mistakes.

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In this Morning Cuppa minisode I’m going to be having a look at what data can do for you.

Data isn't just a bunch of huge numbers that exist in the background of a business. Data is a tool that can be used to help improve any organisation of any type.

There’s a famous saying that highlights this, and that saying is “what gets measured gets done” and that couldn’t be more true.

If you're a transport manager or business owner, there are a number of fairly simple things you can improve, but you can only do this by tracking them in the first place. This might be trying to use less fuel, reduce overall operating costs, or reducing delivery times, just to name a few.

As a transport manager, one of the most important things you can do is track your vehicle mileage. This data can be used to improve efficiency, plan routes, and track maintenance milestones.

You'll be able to see where your vehicles are spending the most time on the road, and you can use this information to optimise routes and save on fuel costs.

You'll also be able to have a better understanding of your driver’s hours as you’ll know how far they’ve travelled in their vehicles each day. You can compare this against tachograph records, just to make sure everything matches up.

Lastly, you’ll have a data-backed record of how your vehicles are being used, and you can use this information to justify future investment in your fleet if you feel as though some vehicles used too much and are breaking down too often

It may seem like a tedious task, but the benefits are clear.

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Cai, our very own wordsmith, is riding shotgun today. Cai is our one and only remote worker and resides far far up North in Lancaster, where he beavers away pushing out blog after guides after captions after newsletters.. the list is endless..

Would everyone thrive in the same working environment? In light of the sudden influx of at-home working environments over the last few years, this is the hot topic of discussion in today's episode. Tune in and listen as Allen and Cai unpick the concept that is, remote working..

Today's episode sees Allen and Cai discuss the impact of remote working, whether being alone is really the same as being lonely, or whether it is possible to feel lonely in a crowd of people, whether Lancaster really is the rainiest city in the UK and whether the 'perfect’ working environment really does exist?

Oh also listen out for some helpful tips and tricks from Cai that have helped him get through the whirlwind that is remote working - from gymnastics to films to spending time with his flatmates - all of which are just as useful on the road as they are in an office, at home or any working environment..

Get them headphones in, kettle on and let the dulcet tones of Allen and Cai transport you to a world of remote working - also don’t miss out on their riveting conversations about family whatsapp groups, new potential features for the podcasts and even a tidbit about DnD..

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This weeks episode discusses and explores techniques you can implement to help combat feelings of loneliness.

Loneliness is something we all feel at some point or another, but is definitely more common in jobs where you are working alone for long periods of time - the key thing to remember is that there are things you can do to help, and this episode discusses some techniques for you to have a go at if you are ever feeling alone.

The 5 things discussed in more detail are:

Don't compare yourself to others
Try to open up
Make new connections
Enjoy hobbies/join a class
Take time to be outside

Tune in to listen to Allen delve into how and why such techniques are a good foundation to start combating loneliness

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Putting on their seatbelt today and joining Allen to discuss all things company culture is Hub’s Chief of Staff, Elizabeth - with a small but growing team and an ever changing team dynamic - Elizabeth and Allen delve deep into what company culture actually means? Whether it is an important part of a workplace? And whether working with family and friends can make or break company culture.

Power on, headphones in, Cuppa in hand and a few notes on a page - Allen and Elizabeth find themselves reversing into this weeks episode with just one thing in mind, company culture.

Can you describe your company culture in just 3 words?

Do you have a company culture mission statement?

And does that automatically create a positive company culture?

Or is it a matter of practicing what you preach?

Zoom fatigue, Hub Coin, HubThrive, lone working, perks and benefits that don’t cost the earth - Allen and Elizabeth really do cover a lot of ground - don’t miss out, tune in now for what turned out to be a fairly intriguing, engaging yet entertaining chat.

We do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy recording and please any feedback is always welcome, any suggestions for guests/topics or even a change of host please do contact us at hello@hubhq.co.uk or find us on Instagram @hub_hq_ and twitter @hub_hq_and as always please don’t forget to follow, share and rate the podcast

Everything discussed in this episode is completely opinion based -

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In the passenger seat today and keeping Allen company as he ponders the question ‘Is the customer always right?’ is Hub’s very own product manager Casper.

‘Is the customer always right?’ Join Allen and Casper as they dive in head first, from Spider-Man to fighter jets the analogies were endless, although profoundly accurate. Looking from many a point of view Allen and Casper turn this frequently asked question into a relatable, topical, engaging yet entertaining discussion.

Although very much an opinion based topic of discussion you don’t want to miss Allen explore the concept that is brain time versus bum time and Casper discuss the moment he had the realization that as a product manager he had no real deliverables - that his role put simply is a ‘professional problem solver’ - tune in to find out what exactly Casper means by that plus so much more

We do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy recording and please any feedback is always welcome, any suggestions for guests/topics or even a change of host please do contact us at hello@hubhq.co.uk or find us on Instagram @hub_hq_ and twitter @hub_hq_and as always please don’t forget to follow, share and rate the podcast

Everything discussed in this episode is completely opinion based -

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Joining Allen today is the person behind the evolution of HubX - our very own flagship virtual transport conference. Ania joins Allen to discuss the motivations driving the existence of HubX, what our fellow HubX community will experience on the day to Ania’s own personal growth throughout the HubX journey.

And that’s not all, tune in to hear Allen discuss the perils of a slow loading MySpace page, the fun that is Instagram algorithms and listen as Ania finally brings Allen into the 21st century with conversations touching on fax machines and carrier pigeons.

An episode titled ‘introducing HubX’ you would think the dominant topic of conversation would surround, well HubX and as you will hear of course HubX is a hot discussion area.

However, the insightful nuggets of information that leads Allen and Ania off on many a tangent is a clear and profound realization of how important these conversations are - the reason HubX is a thing is because we want a place where people can listen, learn and be heard.

To grab your ticket for HubX go to hubhq.co.uk/hubx and join us on the 30th June to learn, be inspired and innovate.

We do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy recording and please any feedback is always welcome, any suggestions for guests/topics or even a change of host please do contact us at hello@hubhq.co.uk or find us on Instagram @hub_hq_ and twitter @hub_hq_and as always please don’t forget to follow, share and rate the podcast

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Kicking off The Morning Cuppa Podcast in style, our very own in house transport expert John Appleby joins Allen to discuss all things technology in the transport industry - from the origin and purpose of autonomous vehicles, self-driving domino delivery vans to whether the emergence of electric vehicles is the way of the future for the transport industry or whether they bring with them more challenges than solutions - Allen and John really do delve deep into the impact of a more technology heavy industry.

We do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy recording and please any feedback is always welcome, any suggestions for guests/topics or even a change of host please do contact us at hello@hubhq.co.uk or find us on Instagram @hub_hq_ and twitter @hub_hq_and as always please don’t forget to follow, share and rate the podcast

Everything discussed on this podcast is completely opinion based -

The Morning Cuppa Podcast: Recent Episodes

Allen Talbot