The RHA has urged ministers to add HGV drivers to the Home Office UK Shortage Occupation List to help fix the growing driver shortage.
RHA Chief Executive, Richard Burnett told Grant Shapps that Government needed to do more to help the industry recruit new talent as the driver shortage exceeds 60,000.
Haulage firms struggle to get access to Apprenticeship Levy money to fund training, and the shutdown of vocational driving tests last year saw a loss of more than 30,000 test slots. New IR35 tax rules have seen some firms cancel deliveries as they can’t get agency drivers.
In a letter to the Transport Secretary he said the industry is facing a perfect storm and warned that a growing driver shortage will hit the supply chain and affect the Government’s plans to ‘build back better’ as hospitality opens up again.
He said: “If we do not do something soon the industry will be unable to maintain the integrated supply chains and cope with artificial spikes caused by hot weather and the easing of lockdown, increasing demand for food and drink into supermarkets, pubs and restaurants and goods into retail outlets.”
Easing rules to allow HGV drivers from abroad to live and work in the UK would help in the short term but he warned against relaxing drivers hours amid concerns that truckers are already working to their limits and are exhausted. “We really need to consider the impact of HGV driver mental health and of course road safety,” he said.
He urged ministers to help the industry resolve the driver shortage in the longer term. “We must work collectively and towards a sustainable way to recruit and train a homegrown workforce so our reliance on foreign labour lessens over time.”
Steve Dearman
( Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 16:57 )
Whole industry needs overhauling
How can you attract new blood into a industry
When you have no suitable facilities for parking, food, washing, toilets, etc.
Companies continue to expect drivers to except
Weekends as part of their working week
So the driver unlike others has no social life.
The image of the Driver has become one of a third class citizen to the public.
Spoken to like dirt.
Fined and used as a cash cow to authorities at any chance.
Any experienced driver of many years
Is totally ignored for advice
And the attitude of those who rely on solutions to the problem is to increase and attract more unskilled labour into a already bad situation
When I started in road haulage I started
As a yard lad ‘then as a mate then a small 7.5 ton
Flat lorry taking tests gradually to the top of driving
Class 1 vehicles be it artic or A frame fully loaded vehicles…
Now days it seems the books I read to obtain the licence are completely irrelevant I. E highway code
And HGV highway code.
Is there any wonder when a profession is basically looked upon as a unskilled job and the attitude still after all these years is ‘any idiot can do it
That you get what you ask for.
How can someone drive a vehicle of 44 tons
With a licence granted abroad
With absolutely no idea of our road systems
let alone The important legislation that are surrounding the Vehicles,, Driver hours, etc
How many bridge strikes?
Perfect storm
And then There are Those who are regularly are chucked in a assignment up and down the UK
At the last minute by some agency to help out and left to a junior management team member on a
Friday, Saturday, Sunday night.
No assessment. No licence check,
a driver who doesn’t take in what he’s being told
but just keeps saying he knows (regular these days).
No back up for help nor do some seek help until
too late.
No experience of the vehicle.
Relying totally on a sat nav
And often a vehicle verging of maximum dimensions
I. E double deck vehicles
Result no one cares.. Because its out the yard
Until there’s a accident
It’s happening all the time..
Time to wise up..
Start proper training by those who still do the job
Not those who ride around in empty Hgvs on a
Nice little ride out in the day time hours on nice local routes
Experience should be on the job by those few left in the job
Proper unstanding of the Highway codes etc
And more importantly people who will
Be payed, proper roadside facilities,and fair break times to use them. spoken to with respect and treated with
Dignity and that go’s for the professional driver too grunting and having no respect for the person or company you’re delivering to doesn’t do our image any favours be recognised for the importance of keeping the vieins of the UK flowing.
Mark Salisbury
( Thursday, May 20, 2021 - 08:54 )
Thank you for this Steve. Clearly this article touched a nerve and I thank you for this insight. Mark Salisbury, Editor