Logistics UK warns against complacency on future driver supply

Logistics UK has warned that while recent data suggests a recent rise in the number of truck drivers in employment, the sector shouldn’t be complacent and assume that staffing issues are a thing of the past.

It cites data released in February from the Labour Force Survey, suggesting that the number of HGV drivers in employment rose in the last quarter of 2024.

36,000 more drivers were employed as compared to the same period in 2023, observed the trade group, demonstrating an increase in economic activity; and 30,000 of these new drivers were from the UK.

But Bethany Windsor, head of skills policy at Logistics UK, warned that in spite of the indication of improvement in the logistics market, the issues facing employers in the industry had not yet been resolved.

“Today’s figures are encouraging news for our sector,” she said, “indicating as they do an uptick in employment prospects for drivers and other logistics workers.

“But perennial challenges for our sector, like an ageing workforce and limited new entrants to the profession, persist. As a profession, we still need to do more to attract the next generation of talent, while retaining those who have already chosen to join the logistics workforce.”

Logistics UK points out that almost half of HGV drivers currently in employment in the UK are 50 or older, meaning that future shortages are still a risk as this cohort retires. While advertised driver salaries rose almost four per cent in the final quarter of 2024 compared to 2023, it adds, vacancies rose by more than 33 per cent – and the number of HGV tests taken in the year to November 2024 dropped by more than 20 per cent year on year – suggesting that more must be done to attract future generations to driving careers.

“Skills shortages have blighted our sector for many years, but the encouraging news is that attitudes are starting to change,” Bethany Windsor added.

“The work conducted by the Generation Logistics campaign is starting to change the perceptions of our sector for the better among 13-24 year olds. In its first two years, Generation Logistics’ focused campaign has improved the way young people think about careers in logistics by 212 per cent and raised awareness of our profession as a whole by 37 per cent.

“The campaign’s dedicated website (www.generationlogistics.org) has recorded more than 1.37 million hits, while its social media messages have been interacted with over 6.9 million times.

“These are obviously impressive numbers for a campaign only two years into its life, but we need to remember that, until two years ago, negligible numbers of people outside logistics had any idea what the sector is all about.

“Behavioural change takes time and focus, and it is up to all of us to keep the Generation Logistics message growing, despite the threat of future economic pressures, to ensure that our sector is able to draw on the skilled workforce it needs in future years.”

Later in March, the driver training specialist HGVC warned that a lack of future funding for the driver Skills Bootcamps, which had seen the firm train nearly 3,500 new drivers as of February, could contribute to propelling the UK towards another skills shortfall.

HGVC says 2,695 of those who had successfully completed one of its bootcamps went on to receive a job offer.

“Moreover, by the same date, 965 different companies had utilised HGVC’s Skills Bootcamps – of which 838 were SMEs and 127 Enterprise firms,” said the training provider.

“These figures underline the crucial role that Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving have played in tackling the chronic shortage of HGV drivers that the UK was facing in 2021.”

HGVC says the scheme has also been effective in boosting diversity.

“Almost 10 per cent of applicants to HGVCs Skills Bootcamps programmes have come from women; nearly 25 per cent from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups; and around a third from drivers under the age of 36,” it said.

“This compares to just one per cent of women and four per cent of ethnically diverse drivers in the industry currently.”

Commenting on the bootcamps’ impact on the sector to date, HGVC’s CEO James Clifford said: “A sustainable driver workforce is essential for growth. The Skills Bootcamps have played an invaluable role in in helping remove the financial barrier that can deter entry into this profession for new drivers.

“Without them, the UK risks facing another disruptive HGV driver shortage, which will have wide-reaching implications for the UK’s economy.

“Despite the impressive legacy of the Skills Bootcamps, the problem they were designed to tackle has not been solved, and with no further funding currently confirmed beyond 2025, there are concerns within the business community about how they will continue to fund new HGV drivers.”