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Martin Smith Pegasus Couriers Director
A message from Pegasus Couriers Director, Martin Smith
I am sure you all know that this has been a bumper year, with several sites opening across Scotland, North of England, and Ireland. This is in line with our growth strategy and highlights some of this year’s progressions, such as taking over a UPS site and moving into depots like Jarrow,  Inverness, Portadown to name a few As part of our plan, we are revising systems in various departments within the business to become more effective and efficient. This led to us identifying areas of improvement, and in doing so, we have paid specific attention to sectors such as fleet management, finance, recruitment and more. Finally, as the year comes to an end, I would like to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. Our success is 100% down to our fantastic team of drivers and managers across all our sites.  Through hard work, loyalty & commitment we have earned a brilliant reputation with our customers as we deliver an excellent service to them. That is what drives our success and our growth. I am genuinely humbled by the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by everyone on the Pegasus Couriers team. I would like to thank each and every one of you for all your hard work throughout the year. Without such dedication and focus, we would not have been able to overcome the stumbling blocks in our path. I hope everyone has a blessed festive season, and I look forward to catching up in 2022.

New sites open in 2021

Phil West
A message from Phill West, National Operations Manager
As we all prepare for Christmas and start winding down for the year, I want to thank everyone on the Pegasus Couriers team for their continued support and hard work. While the past two years have been challenging for the global economy, we have seen growth. The ongoing pandemic (Covid-19) and various restrictions led to several businesses, some within the logistics sector, collapsing and shutting their doors.  Our success is primarily due to all our drivers and managers pulling together and working as a team.  This year’s highlights include opening five new sites in Jarrow,  Inverness, Glasgow, Portadown and Warrington. and various expansions across other contracts within the company. There has also been industry-wide vehicle supply and demand issues that we have addressed. (Read our Fleet Management report)  As Martin Smith mentioned in his Directors message, we have invested heavily in certain aspects of the business, including Fleet Management, Finance and Recruitment. While I know that it has been a very challenging time, everyone’s flexibility and determination to succeed has been inspirational.   While the year draws to a close and everyone prepares for the festive season, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Facts

In three months we have:

  • Made over 14 000 phone calls to new candidates
  • Between October and December we delivered more than 2.5 million parcels 
  • Sent 12 500 emails to candidates
  • Hosted 650 drug and alcohol tests
  • Our fleet travelled over 5.5 million miles
  • Delivered more than 1.3 million parcels in four weeks

Pegasus Couriers grows with UPS

Dan Whyte
A message from Dan Whyte, Regional Manager, UPS Operations

Over the past year, Pegasus Couriers has seen massive growth.

Due to our outstanding service and performance in the running of the Dundee UPS depot, we were given the option to tender for the Warrington site. The new  88 000 square feet Warrington site, which opened earlier this year, is a UPS Flagship Centre.

We have been lucky enough to be included in the planning of the layout, which allows us to make it efficient and safe for our drivers.

Since our initial contact with UPS in 2019, we have grown from the initial 34 routes to the 130 routes we are servicing today.

While it has been a challenging year, we have implemented several projects to boost our operations.

As a growing business, we know the importance of driver engagement and we run incentive-based performance prizes for our drivers.

These prizes include anything from a hospitality day to an Amazon voucher. This is very popular among our drivers and a concept we are looking to expand.

As 2021 draws to a close, I want to thank all my drivers for their dedication and support throughout the year. I am looking forward to a great new year and more growth.

Merry Christmas to all

How we will improve van management

Chris Buckley Fleet Manager Pegasus Couriers
Message from Chris Buckley, Fleet Manager

It has been a busy year for the Fleet team, with more than 680 vans on the road by the end of November 2021.
This figure includes all hired, owned and owner-driver vans.
With so many vans on the road, the fleet team has customised a new Fleet Management system, making it easier to manage our vans and fuel cards. It will also support our 2022 goal of revamping our current fleet, which includes selling most of our older vehicles and buying newer, more modern vans. 
We have also introduced a vehicle inspection report to see drivers conducting their van spot checks as part of our driver safety commitment.
This idea allows drivers to provide feedback straight away instead of waiting for an inspection. This will make it more efficient o investigate and repair where required.
These changes to our policies are to assist drivers and to ensure that you, as a driver, get the best possible service and mileage from us as a company.

Pegasus Couriers and DPD

Pegasus Couriers DPD Mal
Message from Mal Whorlton, DPD Operations Manager

Firstly, I would like to introduce myself and the team here at DPD Newbridge. 

I have worked for Pegasus Couriers for nearly 14 years.  Martin tells me that makes me the longest-serving member of the team!

I previously ran the Yodel operation in Perth before moving over to run the DPD operation in Newbridge, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.  There is a lot of change and ambitious growth plans at DPD, but we are highly regarded for the service we provide to DPD, so that should be beneficial for us. 

We have a great team of drivers here and we operate in DPD liveried vans and uniforms. 

Driver engagement is key and we have various initiatives underway such as a Christmas Jumper Day with free coffees, cakes and biscuits, as well as a free breakfast and lunch on the 20th of December. In addition, on December 24, a DJ will be on-site to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.  We also participate in the drive to raise donations and gifts for children and the elderly who need support at this time of year.

I would like to thank the drivers here for all their hard work throughout the year and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Was that a fire drill?​

On December 3, staff at the Pegasus Couriers Head Office in Edinburgh were forced to evacuate after a false fire alarm. 

The alarm saw the entire Gyle View office evacuated within a minute. Despite the outside temperature being 2 degrees, the team made the best of the situation while the Fire Department cleared the building.

Initially, the thought was that the alarm had been part of a prearranged fire drill. Only later did it materialise that the alarm triggered for unknown reasons.  No fire was found, and the reasons for the alarm triggering remains unknown.

Safe to say, the Pegasus Team led the charge and treated the situation as accurate!

Pegasus Couriers spends day at Cash for Kids

Several members from the Pegasus Couriers Recruitment team spent the day at the Radio Forth Cash for Kids warehouse helping sort gifts. 
 
Collectively, the team helped sort and package gifts for 1200 children.
 
Currently, the Cash for Kids team has more than 18 000 applications for Christmas gifts. Anyone who can assist with a donation, please do so.
 

Facts about snow driving

Pegasus Couriers driving in the snow

Interesting Snow Driving Facts

- The braking distance at 50mph is 38m - almost twice as long as a cricket pitch.
- The braking distance at 70mph is a huge 75m, which is about 9 London buses.

driving in the snow Pegasus Couriers

The 2 Second Following Distance Rule

The 2-second rule is a good rough guide to check that you're leaving enough stopping distance.
Here's how it works: - Choose a fixed point on the road ahead. - Watch when the vehicle in front of you passes that point. - Make sure it's at least 2 seconds or more before you pass the same fixed point.

Driving in the snow safety tips 

With winter upon us, we must be up to date with the latest tips and advice when driving on the roads.

To help you, our delivery drivers, to prepare for the winter storms, we gathered some tips from the Automobile Association (AA).

Remember, knowledge is power – rather have this information and not need it than need it and not have it. 

 

Tips for driving in snow:

  • Be gentle on the throttle, avoiding any harsh acceleration that will cause wheel spin.
  • Pull away in second gear, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheelspin.
  • To slow down, use engine braking through the gears – just touch the brake pedal lightly to show brake lights to others behind.
  • If you’re approaching a hill, drop well back or wait until it’s clear of traffic so you won’t have to stop partway up. Keep a constant speed and try to avoid changing gear on the hill.
  • Use a low gear and try to avoid braking. Leave as much room as you can to the car in front.
  • If you drive an automatic car, check your manual to see if your car has a setting for icy conditions.
  • Use your headlights in heavy snow. Daytime running lights won’t be enough, and there’ll be no lighting at the back of your car. You’ll need to make sure you can see ahead and vehicles behind you know you’re there
 
  • Think about your current driving environment. Just because the conditions might have improved on main roads, country roads or bridges might still be hazardous due to less traffic or because they’ve not been gritted. 
  • When you’re driving in icy conditions or snow, you should always be more cautious for at least a few days after. Remember, a vehicle’s stopping distance will be longer in snowy conditions. 
  • Drive slower and give yourself longer to react. It is advisable to double your breaking distance in wet conditions and increase it by at least 10 times on snow or ice.

Black Ice - Drivers watch out

Black ice is a thin layer of ice on the road surface that’s usually transparent. Because it’s challenging for drivers to see, it can be one of the biggest dangers of winter driving. Black ice is caused by rain falling on frozen surfaces. It tends to form on parts of the road that don’t get much sun – tree-lined routes and tunnels – as well as on bridges, overpasses and the road beneath overpasses.

When it’s cold and there’s a risk of ice:

  • If it’s slippery, do everything slowly as things can go wrong very quickly.
  • Avoid harsh braking and acceleration or aggressive steering; reduce your speed smoothly and use brakes gently.
  • If you do hit black ice, keep calm and avoid sudden or aggressive manoeuvres. Do not hit the brakes! Lift your foot off the accelerator and try to keep the steering straight, allowing the car to pass over the ice

For More Safety Advice Visit the AA Website

Need help? Email a Pegasus Couriers manager:

• Fleet: Chris Buckley 

chris.buckley@pegasus-couriers.co.uk

• Pay/FinanceScott Jamieson 

scott.jamieson@pegasus-couriers.co.uk

• Marketing: Gareth Wilson

gareth.wilson@pegasus-couriers.co.uk

• Recruitment: Anna Kostrzewa Anna.Kostrzewa@pegasus-couriers.co.ukurney 

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