Biggest shortage in this country is genuine workers, the type who understand not every thing is a right, a lot of people just don’t understand the basics of work and will just want to pass their day away avoiding work, but are happy to take the money for as little as possible.
dave docwra:
Biggest shortage in this country is genuine workers, the type who understand not every thing is a right, a lot of people just don’t understand the basics of work and will just want to pass their day away avoiding work, but are happy to take the money for as little as possible.
Box jockeys ?
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[emoji3]
If the Felixstowe problems are due to lack of drivers, then surely diverting ships, and using smaller feeder vessels will exacerbate the problems?
In the short term, there will be a pause as the boxes will arrive a few days later, but when the diverted boxes do arrive, it will be at the same as the later scheluded boxes, and at,
ports with lesser facilities, and fewer local hauliers
They are saying the situation is currently easing, but is this just a temporary breather?
If the situation is due to lack if trucks it will worsen of boxes are sent elsewhere.
If the situation is due to problems in Felixstowe itself then it could improve.
Franglais:
If the Felixstowe problems are due to lack of drivers, then surely diverting ships, and using smaller feeder vessels will exacerbate the problems?
In the short term, there will be a pause as the boxes will arrive a few days later, but when the diverted boxes do arrive, it will be at the same as the later scheluded boxes, and at,ports with lesser facilities, and fewer local hauliers
They are saying the situation is currently easing, but is this just a temporary breather?
If the situation is due to lack if trucks it will worsen of boxes are sent elsewhere.
If the situation is due to problems in Felixstowe itself then it could improve.
Possibly, probably even but there’s an outside chance that the smaller ports are nearer the box’s final destination so will be delivered quicker. Thus freeing up the driver to go get another one sooner. (cup half full thinking) 
Anyway…does nobody know the answer to my question, is it true that:-
Bidwells, who manage the site on behalf of Cambridge University who actually own the land, have employed the trucking world equivalent of cowboy clampers who hassle lorries with their “parking tickets” whilst queueing to load.
I have a bloke in Switzerland, who wrote it, just waiting to be jumped on or, on the other hand, agreed with. 
I’ve never heard of Bidwells, and never knew that Felixstowe was owned by Cambridge, but as this bloke has local knowledge (Felixstowe) he appears to have some axe to grind. 
LazyDriver:
Franglais:
If the Felixstowe problems are due to lack of drivers, then surely diverting ships, and using smaller feeder vessels will exacerbate the problems?
In the short term, there will be a pause as the boxes will arrive a few days later, but when the diverted boxes do arrive, it will be at the same as the later scheluded boxes, and at,ports with lesser facilities, and fewer local hauliers
They are saying the situation is currently easing, but is this just a temporary breather?
If the situation is due to lack if trucks it will worsen of boxes are sent elsewhere.
If the situation is due to problems in Felixstowe itself then it could improve.Possibly, probably even but there’s an outside chance that the smaller ports are nearer the box’s final destination so will be delivered quicker. Thus freeing up the driver to go get another one sooner. (cup half full thinking)
Nice idea.
But unless the boxes are sorted before being put on feeder boats, then on average, won’t half have longer, and half have shorter road trips?
Sorry…
And this “i” article
inews.co.uk/news/politics/felix … as-1247787
says the Gov were clearly warned long ago.
.
Franglais:
And this “i” article
inews.co.uk/news/politics/felix … as-1247787
says the Gov were clearly warned long ago.
.
And in 2016 the governement told the RHA to look at it’s memebers business practices to sort out the driver shortage and it didn’t, As far I’m aware the governement doesn’t employ drivers in the private sector or run any private sector haulage companies so explain what the government is supposed to do when the balme lies with hauliers for their failure to attract people into the industry and listening to people who use Flexistowe the general shoddy way that the port is run making it unattractive and uneconomical for hauliers.
Franglais:
And this “i” article
inews.co.uk/news/politics/felix … as-1247787
says the Gov were clearly warned long ago.
.
What I took from that article, ‘don’t panic buy for Christmas’. Surely that’s what Christmas has always been about? 90% of Toys are brought in December…
Or better still don’t buy anything for Christmas. It’s a frankly ludicrous idea perpetuated by retailers that we celebrate the birthday of a man on a stick from 2000 odd years ago! One we keep falling for.
Mazzer2:
Franglais:
And this “i” article
inews.co.uk/news/politics/felix … as-1247787
says the Gov were clearly warned long ago.
.And in 2016 the governement told the RHA to look at it’s memebers business practices to sort out the driver shortage and it didn’t, As far I’m aware the governement doesn’t employ drivers in the private sector or run any private sector haulage companies so explain what the government is supposed to do when the balme lies with hauliers for their failure to attract people into the industry and listening to people who use Flexistowe the general shoddy way that the port is run making it unattractive and uneconomical for hauliers.
And if the Gov saw a failure in the system?
What did they do?
Put a tax on trucks for training drivers?
Legislate for better parking etc on industrial estates?
Give free tax breaks to trainers?
.
Or did they sit on their thumbs and him?
.
Governments are not the root cause of everything wrong, but they do have lots of levers to pull. Merely repeating the old mantra of “market forces” has got is where we are, and many of is would rather be somewhere else right now!
.
Governments are there to Govern, not pass the buck.
the maoster:
Or better still don’t buy anything for Christmas. It’s a frankly ludicrous idea perpetuated by retailers that we celebrate the birthday of a man on a stick from 2000 odd years ago! One we keep falling for.
Where is the applause emoji when you need it… 
Franglais:
Mazzer2:
Franglais:
And this “i” article
inews.co.uk/news/politics/felix … as-1247787
says the Gov were clearly warned long ago.
.And in 2016 the governement told the RHA to look at it’s memebers business practices to sort out the driver shortage and it didn’t, As far I’m aware the governement doesn’t employ drivers in the private sector or run any private sector haulage companies so explain what the government is supposed to do when the balme lies with hauliers for their failure to attract people into the industry and listening to people who use Flexistowe the general shoddy way that the port is run making it unattractive and uneconomical for hauliers.
And if the Gov saw a failure in the system?
What did they do?
Put a tax on trucks for training drivers?
Legislate for better parking etc on industrial estates?
Give free tax breaks to trainers?
.
Or did they sit on their thumbs and him?
.
Governments are not the root cause of everything wrong, but they do have lots of levers to pull. Merely repeating the old mantra of “market forces” has got is where we are, and many of is would rather be somewhere else right now!
.
Governments are there to Govern, not pass the buck.
Looking at the article the main problem seems to be the poor running of the port itself perhaps we could go back to nationalised ports and see if that is more efficient although drivers who did port work back then might beg to differ.
This is a worldwide problem and a lot of it is driven by the consumer wanting anything they want at an unsustainable price with business’ cutting costs at every opportunity. If the government were to intervene and it made prices higher would the electorate not complain? Read the article in the todays Times about the shortcomings of just in time supply chains.
the maoster:
Or better still don’t buy anything for Christmas. It’s a frankly ludicrous idea perpetuated by retailers that we celebrate the birthday of a man on a stick from 2000 odd years ago! One we keep falling for.
21 years ago I did exactly that. Saw it for what it was, and never sent a card nor present to anybody since. Not one person has ever got funny about it (well, one girlfriend from years ago didn’t like it), and just accepted it. I think there’s a LOT of people who would secretly love to drop Christmas. Christmas is a cynical absurdity.
Mazzer2:
[, As far I’m aware the governement doesn’t employ drivers in the private sector or run any private sector haulage companies so explain what the government is supposed to do when the balme lies with hauliers for their failure to attract people into the industry and listening to people who use Flexistowe the general shoddy way that the port is run making it unattractive and uneconomical for hauliers.
The government could have carpet bombed the entire country with free truck parking with 5 star facilities
If it so choose to do so.
ezydriver:
the maoster:
Or better still don’t buy anything for Christmas. It’s a frankly ludicrous idea perpetuated by retailers that we celebrate the birthday of a man on a stick from 2000 odd years ago! One we keep falling for.21 years ago I did exactly that. Saw it for what it was, and never sent a card nor present to anybody since. Not one person has ever got funny about it (well, one girlfriend from years ago didn’t like it), and just accepted it. I think there’s a LOT of people who would secretly love to drop Christmas. Christmas is a cynical absurdity.
So do you buy presents or make a fuss about anyone important in your life at any time if the year? Their birthday for example?
stu675:
ezydriver:
the maoster:
Or better still don’t buy anything for Christmas. It’s a frankly ludicrous idea perpetuated by retailers that we celebrate the birthday of a man on a stick from 2000 odd years ago! One we keep falling for.21 years ago I did exactly that. Saw it for what it was, and never sent a card nor present to anybody since. Not one person has ever got funny about it (well, one girlfriend from years ago didn’t like it), and just accepted it. I think there’s a LOT of people who would secretly love to drop Christmas. Christmas is a cynical absurdity.
So do you buy presents or make a fuss about anyone important in your life at any time if the year? Their birthday for example?
Of course I do. Just not when society tells me that I have to. That always feels contrived and insincere to me.
Mazzer2:
Franglais:
Mazzer2:
Franglais:
And this “i” article
inews.co.uk/news/politics/felix … as-1247787
says the Gov were clearly warned long ago.
.And in 2016 the governement told the RHA to look at it’s memebers business practices to sort out the driver shortage and it didn’t, As far I’m aware the governement doesn’t employ drivers in the private sector or run any private sector haulage companies so explain what the government is supposed to do when the balme lies with hauliers for their failure to attract people into the industry and listening to people who use Flexistowe the general shoddy way that the port is run making it unattractive and uneconomical for hauliers.
And if the Gov saw a failure in the system?
What did they do?
Put a tax on trucks for training drivers?
Legislate for better parking etc on industrial estates?
Give free tax breaks to trainers?
.
Or did they sit on their thumbs and him?
.
Governments are not the root cause of everything wrong, but they do have lots of levers to pull. Merely repeating the old mantra of “market forces” has got is where we are, and many of is would rather be somewhere else right now!
.
Governments are there to Govern, not pass the buck.Looking at the article the main problem seems to be the poor running of the port itself perhaps we could go back to nationalised ports and see if that is more efficient although drivers who did port work back then might beg to differ.
This is a worldwide problem and a lot of it is driven by the consumer wanting anything they want at an unsustainable price with business’ cutting costs at every opportunity. If the government were to intervene and it made prices higher would the electorate not complain? Read the article in the todays Times about the shortcomings of just in time supply chains.
No.
The main problem, which you pointed out, is that the Gov saw a problem years ago, and did diddly squat about it.
So long as private industry has the option to save money, and do SFA, guess what, it will.
It is up to Gov to force change, because it sure as heck ain’t coming voluntarily.
.
Price rises make the Gov unpopular?
Well, again it is time for them to grow up.
Having a bunch of idiots who are good at getting votes, but crap at actually doing the difficult job of running the country, is no good in the long term.
.
Too many false promises from too many politicians is bad for the country, and bad for democracy too.
the maoster:
Or better still don’t buy anything for Christmas. It’s a frankly ludicrous idea perpetuated by retailers that we celebrate the birthday of a man on a stick from 2000 odd years ago! One we keep falling for.
Ding ding ding…
We have a winner!
Please spare us the BBC interview involving a sad faced child, forlorn looking parents whinning on about little Billy not getting his £1500 PS5 (or what ever it is now) how it’s destroyed Christmas and left everyone with PTSD. As well as the helpline/website/charity set up to deal with Xmas trauma.
stu675:
Mazzer2:
[, As far I’m aware the governement doesn’t employ drivers in the private sector or run any private sector haulage companies so explain what the government is supposed to do when the balme lies with hauliers for their failure to attract people into the industry and listening to people who use Flexistowe the general shoddy way that the port is run making it unattractive and uneconomical for hauliers.The government could have carpet bombed the entire country with free truck parking with 5 star facilities
If it so choose to do so.
It could have but then the middle class nimby’s would all be crying and now the irony of the same middle class nimby’s crying that their Christmas is about to be ruined