The positive job rate for new passes is better than I can recall for many years. There IS, without any doubt, a driver shortage. Read Commercial Motor and articles appear most weeks on the topic. Government have already extended driver’s hours and there’s a few more tricks up their corporate sleeves - so I’m led to believe.
I’ve just come back from Aldi where some shelves are empty and banks of freezers have been turned off cos they’re empty. There may be an element of panic buying but I believe most of this is down to logistics not being able to function properly. Some of that will be down to the “pingdemic” but there is an underlying shortage of drivers.
It’s better now for newly qualified drivers than it’s been for a long time. The problem is getting driver training and tests. Seems a vicious circle to me.
Pete S 