Trade groups warn of driver shortage crisis

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has said it intends to press the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, to introduce a grant scheme to help hauliers train UK residents to drive lorries as part of his Autumn Statement in December – while RHA officials also discussed the issue with transport minister John Hayes during his visit to its offices in October.

66 per cent of transport managers attending a Freight Transport Association (FTA) conference in south Wales last month said they were finding driver recruitment either ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’, and all of them expected to have to recruit more drivers in the coming year.

The findings at the conference reflect a trend throughout the UK of a failure to recruit young drivers to the industry, which has led to the approach of a demographic crisis. Most of today’s drivers are over 50, and many will be unable to work to retirement for medical reasons.

The situation is thought to have been exacerbated by the onset of the Driver CPC. Although numbers are not available, anecdotal evidence suggest that older drivers are more resistant to taking Driver CPC training, seeing little point in having to gain a new qualification as they approach retirement.

This view is supported by a wider survey of FTA members, in which 48 per cent blamed drivers taking retirement instead of the DCPC as the main reason for the shortage.

28 per cent attributed the shortage to the anticipated economic recovery and 24 per cent chose other reasons, with the majority of these blaming a shortage of young people choosing to drive as a job.

The latter cause is to a certain extent supported by statistics: the number of drivers acquiring LGV licences fell by 24 per cent between 2008 and 2013, with only 25,679 new licences being issued last year. Meanwhile, there are 75,000 drivers with C+E licences in the 51-60 years age bracket and 31,000 aged 61 or more.

Sally Gilson, FTA’s skills policy development manager, said that while the Driver CPC had brought matters to a head, the actual number of employees lost to the qualification had been smaller than anticipated.

FTA members taking part in the survey claimed that the biggest barrier to recruitment was poor roadside facilities for drivers, followed by medical requirements and long hours of work.

Insurance premiums for young drivers, vocational driving age limits, the image of the industry and the Driver CPC were also mentioned, with the above all being placed ahead of pay rates and employment terms.

While the industry sets its collective mind to the task of ameliorating the situation in the long-term, the short-term consequences of the shortage could be felt by all of society in the run-up to the festive season, trade groups are warning.

Consumers could face the prospect of empty shelves come Christmas if urgent action is not taken, due to a ‘massive’ shortage of truck drivers, the RHA has argued.

“We are pressing hard for the Treasury to make funding available so that would-be lorry drivers can take the vocational driving and related tests that they so desperately need in order to pass and legally drive a heavy goods vehicle,” said RHA’s new chief executive, Richard Burnett.

“The economy relies massively on an effective logistics industry. If that efficiency is to be maintained, it is vital that funding be made available now. It should be paid directly to those operating in the haulage and logistics industry and be nationally available.

“We also propose that it be time-limited. We know that some funding is available – but right now it is inaccessible.

“Such a scheme would ensure that UK growth and wealth creation is not impeded by a serious shortage of lorry drivers.

“We consider this to be the most effective and appropriate solution in the short term to an issue that will challenge the industry far beyond the coming weeks running up to Christmas.”

Burnett continued: “Ours is an industry with an ageing workforce. With 45 thousand HGV drivers due to retire in the next two years, and more set to leave for medical reasons or because they have jobs elsewhere, it’s clear that unless government recognises and addresses this critical issue, the economic growth will slow down dramatically.”

He added that, despite the industry having “ridden the financial storm” – with 2013 seeing the first increase in trucks on British roads since 2007 – the shortfall currently stands at an estimated 40,000 drivers.

“Do the maths – there are simply not enough drivers to keep the economy moving. The RHA has very strong support for this position from members with transport companies of all sizes – small, medium and very large.”

FTA has also voiced disquiet about the likely impact of the driver shortage on consumers over Christmas – with 82 per cent of transport managers attending an FTA conference in September saying the shortfall was a massive problem.

FTA’s Sally Gilson said: “Not all Christmas presents arrive by magic. The ones we order online and buy in shops for friends and relatives, along with all the food and drink we buy in for parties and Christmas lunch, are delivered every year by the logistics industry.

“This massive peak in demand leads to heavy use of agency drivers, and FTA members are really worried that these drivers may not be legally ready to drive when they are needed.

“FTA members are telling us they have genuine concerns over their ability to deliver Christmas this year. The pool of agency drivers is just not there, and with the economy improving a greater number is needed. However, this is not just a seasonal issue – our members recruiting full-time positions are struggling for applicants.”

The association blamed both Driver CPC and the cost of licence acquisition for the shortage.

“When you look at the cost it’s no wonder would-be drivers are not coming forward; add to this the insurance problems for younger drivers and industry is finding it hard to bring young blood in,” Gilson continued.

“FTA is asking why can’t vocational training have the same loan system as university students? If we are going to help the skills shortage, government must not belittle vocational training.”