Poll highlights TMs’ struggle with driver recruitment

A recent poll conducted for the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has highlighted the impact that the driver shortfall is having on transport managers.

In the poll of 265 operator licence-nominated transport managers, over 46 per cent reported either being unable to fill driver vacancies in recent months, or experiencing long delays in doing so. A majority expected a shortage in the near future, while retirement was highlighted as the greatest contributing factor.

FTA says that the age demographic of the managers polled highlighted the need to attract new transport managers to the industry at a younger age, as well as HGV drivers. More than three-quarters of those TMs surveyed were over 45, and none were under 24; while 34 per cent of respondents said they were planning to leave the industry in the next five years.

Other significant challenges faced by the polled managers included Driver CPC and staying within budget. The results of the poll are published in the third annual Transport Manager Survey, sponsored by Volvo Trucks, available to FTA’s Transport Manager conference delegates.