The ongoing shortage of drivers in the haulage industry is no secret. Over the last 18 months, there have been numerous reports of an industry in desperate need of new blood to replace retiring drivers. Those reports were amplified in the months leading up to this past Christmas season (2014), with some forecasters predicting major disruptions in the supply chain through until the end December. Now, a new parliamentary report sheds new light on the severity of the driver shortage.
The report indicates that just 2% of all HGV drivers are under the age of 25; 60% are at least 45 years old. Even more disconcerting is the fact that there are more young managing directors in the haulage and transport industries than there are drivers. The parliamentary group responsible for producing the report has gone so far as to call the driver shortage a ‘ticking time bomb’.
The group cites four main barriers to recruiting young drivers for HGV driver training:
- Lack of Visibility – The study group asserts that there is a tremendous lack of visibility of the haulage industry among young people. They know it exists, but few actually know what professional drivers do and how much they contribute to the economy.
- Lack of Guidance – A lack of career guidance for young people goes hand-in-hand with the lack of visibility. Without knowledge of their options and opportunities, young people are more likely to choose careers they are familiar with.
- Lack of Proficiency – Haulage and transport companies say that a lack of basic educational proficiency among young people prevents them from hiring as many drivers as they would like. Students are simply unprepared to begin training because they lack basic skills.
- Lack of Value – Perhaps the most important contributing factor is the lack of value associated with a professional driving career. The report suggests the Government has focused so much on pushing as many students into university as possible that professional driving is considered a last chance career.
Despite the existing barriers, the report does go on to say that reasons for optimism are out there. As an example, the report’s authors cited a recent reduction in the age requirements for HGV driver training that now allow young people to earn a licence at age 18. That, combined with a higher leave-school age of 18 should encourage more young people to participate in vocational training that could eventually lead to earning an HGV licence.
The HGV Training Centre is acutely aware of the chronic driver shortage plaguing the UK. We are doing the best we can to help by offering comprehensive HGV driver training to individual students and company drivers. Our training prepares students to take and pass the two tests necessary to earn a commercial driving licence, before going on to enjoy productive and satisfying careers. If you are interested in HGV driver training, we have more than 45 facilities around the UK. Contact us for information.
Sources:
The Lode Star – https://theloadstar.co.uk/party-parliamentary-freight-group-hgv-driver-shortage-crisis/
