A structural inefficiency at the heart of courier logistics
The courier industry is built on an uncomfortable contradiction. Demand for deliveries continues to rise, yet inefficiency is deeply embedded in the system, as every day across the UK, thousands of vans travel the roads half-full or return empty after completing a single drop.
This wasted capacity pushes up costs, increases emissions and ultimately leaves both customers and drivers worse off. It is a fundamentally structural flaw in the way logistics has operated for decades.
Traditional courier models rely heavily on dedicated trips, with one vehicle assigned to a single delivery route, regardless of whether its capacity is fully utilised. While this approach offers a sense of operational control, it creates significant inefficiency. Underused vehicles mean duplicated journeys, higher fuel consumption and inflated operating costs. Those costs are passed directly to customers, often in the form of delivery fees that feel disproportionate to the value of the goods being shipped.
This is particularly noticeable for bulky items or second-hand purchases where delivery can exceed the cost of the item itself. Pricing is frequently opaque, with fuel surcharges, peak-time premiums and additional fees revealed late in the process, while service quality can vary widely, and communication once a parcel is in transit is often limited
Drivers feel the impact just as keenly. Many spend long hours on the road but are unable to monetise spare capacity in their vehicles. Even in a market with strong demand, earnings are constrained by a system that does not allow for smarter use of existing journeys. Vehicles are busy, but not optimised, and the economic value of those miles is never fully realised.
Changing demand and rising pressure for sustainability
These inefficiencies are becoming increasingly hard to justify. The growth of online marketplaces and peer-to-peer commerce has fundamentally changed delivery demand, creating more irregular, one-off shipments between private individuals rather than predictable flows between distribution centres. At the same time, customers expect greater transparency, flexibility and reliability from logistics providers.
Environmental pressure adds another layer of urgency. Transport remains one of the UK’s largest sources of carbon emissions, and last-mile delivery is among the most challenging segments to decarbonise. Continuing to add more vans and more dedicated trips is neither sustainable nor economically viable.
Shared-route logistics as a more resilient model
A more resilient approach focuses on fleet utilisation. Shared-route logistics models, which match deliveries to professional couriers already travelling along the required route, tackle inefficiency at its root. By using spare load space on existing journeys, these models reduce empty miles while maintaining reliability and service standards. Aligning deliveries with existing routes can reduce costs by up to 60% and cut emissions by up to 80%, making the impact significant.
These efficiencies benefit all sides of the market, with customers gaining access to clearer, more affordable pricing; drivers unlocking additional income from journeys they are already making; and operators reduce the overheads associated with wasted capacity.
Trust and transparency also improve as a result. One of the courier industry’s longstanding challenges is the lack of visibility customers have over pricing, delivery progress and accountability. Traditional call-centre-led systems struggle to provide reassurance at scale. By contrast, modern shared logistics platforms can offer instant upfront pricing, real-time updates, direct communication between customer and driver, and built-in accountability mechanisms such as ratings and reviews. In an industry where reliability is critical, transparency becomes a genuine competitive advantage rather than a nice-to-have.
Enabling reuse and the circular economy
The consequences of logistics inefficiency are especially visible in the circular economy. Each year, billions of pounds’ worth of unwanted but perfectly usable items are discarded or left unsold because delivery is too expensive, inconvenient or carbon-intensive. Around Christmas alone, £1.27bn in unwanted gifts circulate, with many items ultimately ending up in landfill despite being suitable for reuse or resale
If logistics is to support reuse at scale, delivery must be both affordable and low-impact. Shared-route models reduce the friction of moving goods, making it easier for items to stay in circulation rather than become waste.
Making better use of journeys already on the road
The courier sector enjoys significant demand but suffers from a lack of efficiency. Persisting with underfilled vehicles and opaque pricing models will only widen the gap between cost, value and sustainability. By shifting focus from dedicated trips to shared journeys, the industry can unlock meaningful economic and environmental gains without compromising service quality. The greenest, most cost-effective van is the one already on the road, and the future of logistics depends on making better use of it.
Author Bio
Edward Spence is the CEO and Co-Founder of Porta, a smart delivery platform that makes logistics cheaper, greener, and more efficient by leveraging spare capacity in vehicles already on the road. Inspired by personal frustration with costly courier services, Edward co-founded Porta with his business partner, technology leader Michael Boulter, to reduce waste while delivering better value for customers and drivers. A former management consultant with an MBA from INSEAD, Edward has successfully led Porta, alongside Michael, from concept to revenue, scaling the platform nationwide through strong organic growth and a focus on transparency, trust, and sustainability.
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