Many are educated to levels 4 and 5, but we need truck drivers!

[oldbadger]

If you can afford the lessons and pass the tests, there is a really good job and decent living waiting for you...... in the UK, that is. We haven't got enough Lorry drivers!

Are we guiding all our young in the right direction?
I doubt it!
We need tradespeople and service personnel just as much as the career set.


Why is there a shortage of lorry drivers? -
BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk › news › uk -england-northampt...
25 Jun 2021 — A potentially 'dire' shortage ... The Road Haulage Association (RHA) says there is a shortage of about 60,000 drivers. It estimates about 30,000 ...

How serious is the shortage of HGV drivers? -
BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk › news
14 Jul 2021 — Based on a survey of its members, the Road Haulage Association estimates there is now a shortage of more than 100,000 drivers in the UK, out of ...

Shortage of HGV drivers exacerbated as UK economy ...
Fleet Vans, Fleet Trucks, Van News, Van Best, Van Reviews, Commercial Vehicles - Commercial Fleet › news › 2021/07/08
8 Jul 2021 — “We need Government to act and address the driver shortage for the industry and the drivers. “While we welcome the increase in HGV ...

The shortage of HGV drivers in Britain is getting worse | The ...
The Economist - World News, Politics, Economics, Business & Finance › ... › Jul 17th 2021 edition
8 days ago — Britain has been suffering from a shortage of heavy-goods vehicle (HGV) drivers for years; Brexit and covid-19 have made things worse. The Road ...

HGV licence fast-track won't stop UK food shortages, industry ...
News, sport and opinion from the Guardian's US edition | The Guardian › politics › jul › hgv-lice...
3 days ago — It estimates a shortage of 90,000 HGV drivers including an estimate 25,000 EU truckers who have gone home following Brexit. On top of that there ...

MP for Gordon challenges UK Gov over HGV driver shortage
Grampian Online - the latest News and Sport for Banffshire › news › mp-for-gor...
8 Jul 2021 — "With 10 per cent of lorry drivers being EU Nationals Brexit is clearly damaging to this vital industry. “Major driver shortages have the ...

 

[JustGeorge]

Something I've noted(and been vocal on) during this pandemic is that its truckers that make the world go 'round...

 

[Martin]

Low wages, low status, poor working conditions, away from home a lot, lack of facilities and secure parking, etc etc.
I worked briefly as a multi-drop truck driver in London, not an enjoyable experience.

 

[Justanatheist]

During lockdown the truckers were treated appallingly with local councils shutting down basic facilities like toilets.

 

[Altfish]

If you can afford the lessons and pass the tests, there is a really good job and decent living waiting for you...... in the UK, that is. We haven't got enough Lorry drivers!

Are we guiding all our young in the right direction?
I doubt it!
We need tradespeople and service personnel just as much as the career set.


Why is there a shortage of lorry drivers? -
BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk › news › uk -england-northampt...
25 Jun 2021 — A potentially 'dire' shortage ... The Road Haulage Association (RHA) says there is a shortage of about 60,000 drivers. It estimates about 30,000 ...

How serious is the shortage of HGV drivers? -
BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk › news
14 Jul 2021 — Based on a survey of its members, the Road Haulage Association estimates there is now a shortage of more than 100,000 drivers in the UK, out of ...

Shortage of HGV drivers exacerbated as UK economy ...
Fleet Vans, Fleet Trucks, Van News, Van Best, Van Reviews, Commercial Vehicles - Commercial Fleet › news › 2021/07/08
8 Jul 2021 — “We need Government to act and address the driver shortage for the industry and the drivers. “While we welcome the increase in HGV ...

The shortage of HGV drivers in Britain is getting worse | The ...
The Economist - World News, Politics, Economics, Business & Finance › ... › Jul 17th 2021 edition
8 days ago — Britain has been suffering from a shortage of heavy-goods vehicle (HGV) drivers for years; Brexit and covid-19 have made things worse. The Road ...

HGV licence fast-track won't stop UK food shortages, industry ...
News, sport and opinion from the Guardian's US edition | The Guardian › politics › jul › hgv-lice...
3 days ago — It estimates a shortage of 90,000 HGV drivers including an estimate 25,000 EU truckers who have gone home following Brexit. On top of that there ...

MP for Gordon challenges UK Gov over HGV driver shortage
Grampian Online - the latest News and Sport for Banffshire › news › mp-for-gor...
8 Jul 2021 — "With 10 per cent of lorry drivers being EU Nationals Brexit is clearly damaging to this vital industry. “Major driver shortages have the ...

We could always join the EU; that'd solve it.

 

[Martin]

The problem has been exacerbated by Brexit and Covid, but it's been developing for years.
One thing that would help is offering bursaries for HGV training, which is very expensive. They do it for nursing, so why not trucking?

 

[Martin]

We could always join the EU; that'd solve it.

Yeah, this is yet another "unintended consequence" of Brexit. Funny how they keep popping up.

 

[Meow Mix]

This is why everyone needs to be paid a living wage. These jobs matter, and people deserve a living wage out of them.

Also people deserve to have access to higher education. There should be nothing wrong with truckers going to college just to expand themselves as people, it should be accessible to them too (and they should earn a living wage regardless).

 

[Martin]

This is why everyone needs to be paid a living wage. These jobs matter, and people deserve a living wage out of them.

Also people deserve to have access to higher education. There should be nothing wrong with truckers going to college just to expand themselves as people, it should be accessible to them too (and they should earn a living wage regardless).

I agree. And there is still some snobbery involved in how people view vocational training and practical careers, as compared to academic education.

 

[oldbadger]

Low wages, low status, poor working conditions, away from home a lot, lack of facilities and secure parking, etc etc.
I worked briefly as a multi-drop truck driver in London, not an enjoyable experience.

Fair enough........ multi-drop in London sounds like absolute stress n' hell.

But a Hyab-truck driver, or distance driver for a single person? Not bad money now.

 

[Martin]

During lockdown the truckers were treated appallingly with local councils shutting down basic facilities like toilets.

Facilities for truck drivers are poor even in normal times. You've probably seen them parked up in lay-bys for their breaks, where they are plagued by thieves. They leave the back doors of their wagons open to show when theyre empty, to deter the thieves. But then the thieves syphon off their fuel while they're asleep. This also happens in lorry parks, many of which are not properly secure.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

This is why everyone needs to be paid a living wage. These jobs matter, and people deserve a living wage out of them.

Also people deserve to have access to higher education. There should be nothing wrong with truckers going to college just to expand themselves as people, it should be accessible to them too (and they should earn a living wage regardless).

In the UK everyone has the same opportunity education wise. as every one else. Most schools are very good indeed, but not everyone takes advantage of them. It seems some people simply do not think that education is important.

One of my staff at the college where I worked, had no school qualifications at all, but had later managed to get some Printing qualifications. As part of his staff training I sponsored him to start a Further education course in business studies... to cut a long story short he ended up with a first class degree in Business and finance.

The routes are there for everyone, but you have to be self motivated to put in the work.
As well as the Open University most institutions run part time distance learning courses. They cost... but they get you where you want to go.

The student loan system is even more expensive in the UK than in the USA. But it is available and it works. But such large debts do put off some potential students.

 

[oldbadger]

Something I've noted(and been vocal on) during this pandemic is that its truckers that make the world go 'round...

And Badgers..... Badgers are very important, you know!

Many years ago I was a commercial detective and communicated with cops a lot. I was amazed at how many had degrees (and higher). Greek Mythology? Yep! etc etc.

Our focus has been so intensely directed towards higher education, producing so many degrees that can't actually gain a livelihood, that our shops were full of degreed sheld-fillers..... and now even retail seems to be disappearing.

We need to review education completely, imo, in preparation for a much different world.

 

[Martin]

Fair enough........ multi-drop in London sounds like absolute stress n' hell.

But a Hyab-truck driver, or distance driver for a single person? Not bad money now.

The money is generally not as good as you'd think, bearing in mind the long, anti-social hours and poor working conditions. Drivers are often kept waiting for long periods at depots too.
I think they're having to pay the HGV drivers more now, due to the shortage. That's a good thing, but I don't know know whether it will be a sea-change.

 

[oldbadger]

During lockdown the truckers were treated appallingly with local councils shutting down basic facilities like toilets.

Yes. The public as a whole was let down like that.
But truckers can get by........ for sure!

 

[oldbadger]

We could always join the EU; that'd solve it.

Oh No!
We'd be far behind with vaccinations, and really in more deep trouble than now.

 

[Justanatheist]

Facilities for truck drivers are poor even in normal times. You've probably seen them parked up in lay-bys for their breaks, where they are plagued by thieves. They leave the back doors of their wagons open to show when theyre empty, to deter the thieves. But then the thieves syphon off their fuel while they're asleep. This also happens in lorry parks, many of which are not properly secure.

I remember when Little Chef banned lorries drivers from their restaurants, the irony was not lost on me. My misses was brought up in a transport cafe in Devon, very well known until they moved the old A30.

 

[Martin]

In the UK everyone has the same opportunity education wise. as every one else. Most schools are very good indeed, but not everyone takes advantage of them. It seems some people simply do not think that education is important.

One of my staff at the college where I worked, had no school qualifications at all, but had later managed to get some Printing qualifications. As part of his staff training I sponsored him to start a Further education course in business studies... to cut a long story short he ended up with a first class degree in Business and finance.

The routes are there for everyone, but you have to be self motivated to put in the work.
As well as the Open University most institutions run part time distance learning courses. They cost... but they get you where you want to go.

Yeah, I did an OU degree, but it's a challenge with a job and family. On the other hand, there is no reason why people should feel they have to do further education for reasons of status.
I'm all for apprenticeships and decent vocational training.

 

[oldbadger]

The problem has been exacerbated by Brexit and Covid, but it's been developing for years.
One thing that would help is offering bursaries for HGV training, which is very expensive. They do it for nursing, so why not trucking?

Brilliant!
And security personnel, let's give the CVIT, SD, Retail Guard, Commercial Guard, Close Protection and Dog Guarding training for free as well. In fact we should be training (and licensing) all support service personnel for free.

 

[oldbadger]

Yeah, this is yet another "unintended consequence" of Brexit. Funny how they keep popping up.

Well, when it's sorted out, think of all those Brits who will have jobs.