Better tech tops transport managers’ mental health wish list

Improved technology features at the top of a list of changes that transport and logistics managers believe would improve mental health among their peers, according to newly released research from Microlise, the transport technology specialist.

The survey of 250 UK transport and logistics managers, results from which have been released ahead of World Mental Health Day this Saturday, showed that one in five (20 per cent) believed better technology was the best way of supporting their role.

This ranked ahead of more time for rest and recovery between shifts (18 per cent of respondents), increased pay and greater distribution of responsibility across team members (13 per cent) and shorter working days (10 per cent).

Further factors identified by respondents as likely to improve mental health included better facilities and support while on the road (9 per cent), greater visibility and clarity over daily tasks and expectations (9 per cent), less manual paperwork through digital tools (4 per cent) and greater freedom to improve company processes (4 per cent).

The findings form part of research for Microlise’s second annual report, ‘Navigating UK Transport and Logistics in 2026 and Beyond’.

Transport managers are responsible for an increasingly complex operational workload, points out Microlise, spanning vehicle and driver compliance, route and load planning, maintenance, customer requirements and cost control.

Technology can help reduce elements of this workload by automating routine processes and providing greater visibility across fleet operations, says the company – while AI-enabled systems can also support route and load optimisation, maintenance planning and the analysis of vehicle and driver data, helping transport teams identify issues and make decisions more quickly.

The report also reinforces the potential impact of reducing administrative work. Transport managers estimate that manually processing proof-of-delivery documentation costs them more than two hours of working time, which equates to £172.40 every day.

Microlise CEO Nadeem Raza said: “What stands out from these findings is that better technology ranked above increased pay and shorter working days. Giving transport managers the right tools can help reduce some of the day-to-day pressures of running an increasingly complex operation, freeing up time and making workloads more manageable.

“As World Mental Health Day approaches, operators should consider the practical changes they can make to better support the people responsible for keeping their fleets moving. Technology isn’t the whole answer, but it can play an important role in improving their working lives.”