Haulage companies are struggling to recruit staff as the industry faces a growing shortage of drivers.
The RHA ( road haulage association) believes as of April 2019 there is a driver shortage of more than 55,000 drivers in the UK and this is predicted to rise to 150,000 by the end of 2020.
There are a number of problems that hauliers are facing and they include:
AN AGEING WORKFORCE… the average age of a HGV driver is 53 which is much older than the current national average in other industries. 13% of the drivers are over 60 and many drivers will be retiring soon.
DRIVER CPC CARDS…due to the average age of the drivers many have also decided not to renew their driver cpc card when they are due for renewal in September 2019 which would gain another 5 years validity.
PERCEPTION…the haulage industry is not generally known as the first choice of industry to work in for the next generation who are looking to start their careers. we need to escape the impression of haulage “back in the day” and see how forward thinking the industry is today with the use of technology, new vehicles, improved working conditions and standards and wages.
ECONOMIC GROWTH…both nationally and internationally has increased the demand for drivers to transport more goods. almost everything we eat, drink and purchase will have been transported by road. plus with the expansion of online shopping and faster deliveries the lgv industry plays a major role in keeping the economy running.
RELIANCE ON EU WORKERS… which is being made worse by Brexit.
FINANCIAL COSTS…there is quite a few costs involved to become a HGV driver which include a medical, theory and hazard test, drivers CPC, digital tachograph card as well as the main cost of the actual driver training and test. All of the costs have to be paid upfront before even finding a job and this can be a huge barrier to starting a career within the industry.
all of the above has a massive impact on the industry as a whole and limits the ability to deliver high quality services to transport goods around the UK and further afield.
we need to recruit a new generation of HGV drivers and sometimes access to funding for people who are keen to be part of the ever growing industry is key. There are not enough young or new drivers coming through who have the correct skills or licence to meet demand so here at Twinway Lgv Driver training we work closely with a number of funding departments to try and make a difference and supply the industry with newly qualified professional drivers and raising the driving standards along the way.
We have over 40 years experience within the haulage industry and have great links with other hauliers in the North East. we offer support and advise to all pupils and with our quality training and industry knowledge many of our pupils have gone on to have successful, financially rewarding careers as LGV drivers as we have been able to provide recommendations or arrange interviews with companies who have driver vacancies.
The ROAD HAULAGE ASSOCIATION has mounted a 5 point campaign to tackle the HGV driver shortage and we are fully behind it. the points are:
- funding
- driver testing service
- promote the industry
- drive up the standards
- improve conditions
as well as launching “LOVE THE LORRY” week which usually takes place end October and is a national campaign with roadshows and promotions.
COULD YOU BE THE NEXT GENERATION OF UK DRIVERS , TWINWAY CAN HELP YOU GET THE LICENCE AND SKILLS YOU NEED TO BE PART OF THIS IMPORTANT BUSINESS SECTOR THAT KEEPS THE UK ECONOMY RUNNING.
