When Shannon Gillett climbed into a cement mixer at the age of 18, she had no idea where a career in transport would take her.

Today, she is Head of Transport at Hived, helping to oversee a delivery network that operates entirely using electric vehicles.

It's a journey that reflects the opportunities available across the transport and logistics sector – and demonstrates how the industry continues to evolve while remaining focused on the same goal: keeping goods moving and customers supplied.

A career that started behind the wheel

Like many people in transport, Shannon's route into the industry wasn't planned from an early age.

Her father was a driver and, after leaving school, she decided to follow in his footsteps by gaining her HGV licence.

"I got my licence at 18 and started driving cement mixers," she recalls. "I absolutely loved it."

From construction sites and building projects, Shannon later moved into tanker work, collecting milk from farms across the country before progressing into planning, compliance and transport management roles.

The experience gave her a first-hand understanding of the challenges drivers face every day and sparked a passion for an industry she has remained part of ever since.

"I've always loved transport," she says. "No two days are ever the same."

As her career developed, Shannon discovered there were countless opportunities beyond the cab.

"People often think logistics is only about driving, but there are so many different opportunities. Whether it's planning, compliance, operations, engineering or leadership, there are lots of routes into the industry."

A new challenge at Hived

Earlier this year, Shannon joined Hived as Head of Transport.

Founded with sustainability at its core, Hived has built its business around a bold commitment: operating a fully electric delivery fleet.

For Shannon, it represented a chance to be part of something genuinely different.

"When I joined, one of the first things I was told was that there was no diesel backup," she laughs. "It's electric vehicles, full stop."

For many operators, that might sound daunting. For Shannon, it sounded like exactly the sort of challenge she was looking for.

Running a transport operation without diesel

When people hear that Hived operates a fully electric fleet, their first question is usually about the vehicles.

Shannon's answer is simple: the vehicles are only part of the story.

"The biggest difference isn't actually the driving," she explains. "It's the planning."

Unlike a traditional fleet, Hived doesn't have diesel vehicles waiting in reserve if something goes wrong. Every delivery must be completed using electric vehicles, meaning forecasting, route planning and operational resilience are critical.

"If a vehicle goes off the road, we can't simply replace it with a diesel vehicle because that's not what we do," she says. "Everything has to be planned around maintaining a fully electric operation."

That means transport managers must think differently about vehicle utilisation, charging schedules, maintenance and contingency planning.

"We're constantly looking ahead," says Shannon. "You need to know where vehicles are going, what they'll be doing, when they'll need charging and how that fits into the wider operation."

It's a challenge she relishes.

"Transport people are problem-solvers by nature. That's what we do every day."

Learning alongside the technology

One of the most interesting aspects of Shannon's role is that the technology itself is still evolving.

Unlike traditional diesel operations, where processes are well established, operators, manufacturers and suppliers are often learning together.

"Sometimes we're identifying things that even manufacturers haven't come across before," she says. "That's part of being at the forefront of something new."

The pace of change keeps the role interesting.

New vehicle technology, charging infrastructure and operational practices continue to emerge, creating opportunities to improve efficiency and performance.

"You're not standing still. Things are changing all the time."

Busting the myths

Shannon believes one of the biggest misconceptions about electric logistics is that it can't work at scale.

The reality, she says, is that operators are already proving otherwise.

"We're delivering parcels every day, operating a national network and growing as a business."

That doesn't mean there aren't challenges. But challenges are nothing new in transport.

Whether it's driver shortages, fuel prices, compliance requirements, congestion or changing customer demands, the industry has always adapted.

"This is just another evolution," she says. "The difference is that we're helping shape it as we go."

People remain at the heart of logistics

Despite the focus on innovation, Shannon is clear that technology alone doesn't make a successful operation. People do.

One of the things that attracted her to Hived was the company's culture and the passion shown by its employees.

"Everybody genuinely cares about what they're doing," she says. "People want to make a difference and they want to do a good job."

Whether it's drivers, planners, warehouse teams, engineers or transport managers, Shannon believes the industry succeeds because of the people who work within it.

"It's always been a people business."

Looking ahead

National Lorry Week celebrates the people who keep the UK moving and highlights the many careers available across transport and logistics.

Shannon's story demonstrates just how varied those careers can be.

From driving cement mixers and milk tankers to leading transport operations for a fully electric fleet, her career has taken her across multiple parts of the industry.

"I've loved every stage of my career," she says. "No two days are ever the same, and that's what makes this industry so rewarding."

As road transport continues to evolve, professionals like Shannon Gillett are helping to shape its future – proving that innovation and sustainability can sit alongside the skills, dedication and people that have always been at the heart of logistics.

After all, whether it's diesel or electric, road transport remains the road that connects everything.