Young people don’t want to become Truckers for a number of different reasons, some real and some just perceived:-
(1) The media says “We hate Truckers - they kill Cyclists and Prostitutes don’t you know?”
(2) The media talks about pie-in-the-sky wage levels without explaining that at the top end of Trucker’s Pay - what actual work is involved, where to get such work - and of course who actually pays the top dollar for it.
(3) The Media covers extensively any Trucker “fails” - but doesn’t hail the occasional “Trucker Hero” when they arise.
(4) Making the licence for C+E available to 18 rather than the former 21 means that more employers are going to shy away from youngsters - because they are now going to be even MORE inexperienced with regards to ordinary driving prior to moving on to C+E training.
(5) Employers are reluctant to pay top dollar wages to mere 18 year olds. It’s hard enough getting them to pay top dollar for “Graduate Leaver Aged” 25+ year olds, which are in fact the most suitable age group to aim at with regards to “full time positions that need filling”.
(6) The HGV course is now so expensive, that many youngsters that are even interested - will hold out hoping for an all-training-expenses-paid Apprenticeship. It strangely never arrives though. Halfway House people, Fresh College Leavers, and incoming foreign nationals all seem to get the best pickings first - if there IS any actual picking and choosing among firms to be done of course!
(7) Truckers are nowadays targets for Terrorists, who wish to hijack their vehicles to use as deadly weapons in an attack.
(8) EU regulations make it hard to earn good money - WTD hours limitations have killed overtime combined with a high hourly rate at very least already. They also don’t protect you from being required to work excessively long hours for the same flat money - 48-60 hours per week is the NORM compared to 35-40 hours in other industries…
(9) Travelling to and from the EU with a truck is as dangerous as it’s ever been. Who’d want that for a career when you can do 48-60 hours a week stacking shelves for the same money?
(10) Traffic is bad. It’s always been bad, but each passing year just seems to make it get ever worse. Who wants THAT as a work environment, avoiding the hostilities of the Press, Terrorists, Other Truckers, and of course White Van Man who wants to take your business off you courtesy of Mayor Khaaan?