The Road Haulage Association (RHA) is following in the footsteps of the Freight Transport Association in dealing directly with the Government to try to solve the driver shortage issue in the UK. The FTA met with MP Danny Alexander last month to address the shortage, among other things, and now officials from the Treasury have issued an invitation to the RHA for a February 20 summit that will likely include discussions on everything from LGV driver training to promoting HGV driving careers.
RHA chief executive Richard Burnett has said that the haulage industry is currently short by about 40,000 drivers. With another 45,000 set to retire over the next couple of years, swift and decisive action needs to be taken in order to increase the number of new drivers entering the field. Burnett says that only about 17,000 earn new licences every year.
For their part, the FTA has said that discussions with Alexander proved fruitful. Since their meeting last month, they have been planning a ‘Solving the Driver Crisis’ summit, which is scheduled to take place on March 12. The event is already booked out. If nothing else, it demonstrates how seriously companies within the haulage industry are taking the driver shortage issue. They need solutions rather than just statements of fact.
Incorrect Perceptions
Others have said, and we agree, that one of the biggest hindrances the haulage industry now faces is the perceptions among young people about driving careers. We believe there are three important factors that need to be addressed if the driver shortage is to be fixed:
- Career Choice – HGV and LGV driver training is often considered an opportunity of last resort as we push our young people into university and professional careers. This needs to change. Professional driving is just as valid and necessary as any other career opportunity.
- Public Perception – Public perception of the current industry is greatly affected by constant negative media attention. For example, accidents between HGVs and other vehicles are assumed to be the fault of the HGV driver before investigations are ever completed. This gives the community, as a whole, a bad impression of professional drivers.
- Training Costs – Lastly, more needs to be done to make HGV and LGV driver training accessible to students. Whether cost issues are addressed through reduced tuition pricing or the availability of more financing, something needs to be done to get students into training as soon as they are done with school.
The HGV Training Centre is a leading provider of HGV and LGV driver training in the UK. We offer classes at dozens of facilities, making it as convenient and easy as possible to earn your licence regardless of where you live. We invite you to contact us if you are considering a career as a professional driver. We would be happy to answer your questions with respect to our training programmes. New classes are forming regularly, so do not delay.
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