Wonder why 
Nearly a quarter of a million unfilled jobs 
I was thinking about this,but from another angle only last week.There used to be two LGV driving schools (or whatever they call themselves) in my area for a long time.I keep seeing more and more.Most of them are one man bands,but there’s at least one that seems to be a franchise operation.I’ll take more notice in future-but they all seem to be fairly busy.
Can hazard a few guesses!
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Who wants to fork out a few grand to earn £6.08 if they can even get that £6.08 job without experience!
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DCPC is another painstaking hurdle, it used to be practical and theory now you have modules!
Then you sit in a rdc waiting room and its like knocking on heavens door every ■■■■ is about 70 
I think once this golden oldie generation hangs up their keys there will be staffing problems.
fingermissing:
Wonder why
No wonder if everyone has a HGV License that not many do it now anymorel.
Its like CPC course.If everyone has it done Trainer can go on Holiday
i left my comment.
the comments regarding driver vacancies are greatly exaggerated. There can be 20 jobs being advertised by 50 agencies, this will give the impression that there is 1000 jobs, i’m not at all surprised that those that do nothing but drive a desk fall for this. There is also the DCPC farce to deal with, bureaucracy piled on top of more bureaucracy. then there is the diabolical treatment of drivers at RDCs. you can be fined 6000 euros in spain for something that is a slapped wrist in most other countries.
It is an expensive thing to do, only got my class 1 on 27th Jan this year at a cost of just over 3k. I was lucky, I was a coach driver, tour driver at that, and not to blow my own trumpet too much I was bloody good at it. The tips I got funded my licence (and Christmas) but in a recession how many people are able to save like I did? If it had been savings from my take home pay I couldn’t have done it as I’d not had a pay rise since 2007, the chap who lives next door to me earns more driving an electric pallet loader in the local Morrisons warehouse.
I’d guess as well that many who are thinking of going for it and hear of the abundance of vacancies simply look on the web at the vacancy situation in thier area and see virtually every ad stipulating “Must have held licence for a minimum of 2 years and have driven for 180 days” which is not exactly encouraging. I was naive and thought that 22 years PCV would count. It doesn’t even count for rigids or in most cases 7.5t. If I’m struggling to land work what chance has someone with zero large vehicle experience stand? Most of the ads on Reed quickly attract over 30 applications too, seeing the experience requirements and level of competition for every job must put people off.
Despite trying everywhere I’ve now had a grand total of 5 days artic work since passing my test so I’m not the best advert for a stunningly successful career enhancing investment.
Still being offered tour work back at my old firm so at least the bills are getting paid I suppose.
In hindsight would I have done it if I’d known then what I know now? I don’t really know, maybe I’d have just done the class 2. I’m considering going back to full time tour work for the summer and just sit on my Class 1 until it’s “matured” a bit then see how the land lies.
fingermissing:
Wonder why
Have you seen the price of having tattoos done these days
limeyphil:
you can be fined 6000 euros in spain for something that is a slapped wrist in most other countries.
Sod that, never get me driving a truck over there, don’t even think of buying a house there either. They’d probly make you knock it down just after you bought it.
limeyphil:
the comments regarding driver vacancies are greatly exaggerated. There can be 20 jobs being advertised by 50 agencies, this will give the impression that there is 1000 jobs, i’m not at all surprised that those that do nothing but drive a desk fall for this.
This is true, 20 jobs being advertised by 50 agencies may be a bit exaggerated in most cases but there can be no doubt that most jobs are advertised by multiple agencies, then of course there’s the situation where an agency wants to get people on their books in the hope of having jobs come in so they advertise jobs that don’t actually exist, you can bet your life many of these none existent jobs are calculated as unfilled vacancies.
limeyphil:
There can be 20 jobs being advertised by 50 agencies, this will give the impression that there is 1000 jobs, i’m not at all surprised that those that do nothing but drive a desk fall for this. There is also the DCPC farce to deal with, bureaucracy piled on top of more bureaucracy. then there is the diabolical treatment of drivers at RDCs. you can be fined 6000 euros in spain for something that is a slapped wrist in most other countries.
You’re right on the money there Phil.
The costs versus the rewards simply don’t stack up. Along with the fact that drivers doing many, many thousands of miles a year, have the same number of points to lose from their licenses as the mum doing a five mile school run twice a day, or the office drone who commutes a couple of miles to work and back.
The hourly rate is of course a major reason. And as others have said, the facilities for drivers who are under a legal obligation to take rests, regardless of whether it’s safe, sanitary or in any way convenient.
It’s dangerous. There’s an increasing level of responsibility and little or no job security. Pensions? Almost non existent these days.
I was lucky in that I’ve had my licence since 1976 or so. But a school leaver today, looking at the deal that comes with what’s involved, is quite simply looking at a bad deal.
And the government and industry are doing next to nothing to help themselves! Unfortunately they will have to reap the whirlwind when it comes. (Which co-incidentally might also mean a better deal for me…)
limeyphil:
i left my comment.the comments regarding driver vacancies are greatly exaggerated. There can be 20 jobs being advertised by 50 agencies, this will give the impression that there is 1000 jobs, i’m not at all surprised that those that do nothing but drive a desk fall for this. There is also the DCPC farce to deal with, bureaucracy piled on top of more bureaucracy. then there is the diabolical treatment of drivers at RDCs. you can be fined 6000 euros in spain for something that is a slapped wrist in most other countries.
+1 Spot on.
The trucks are modern and most if not all are top class.At the other end is the driver, hours stuck in the dark ages,conditions stuck in the dark ages ie clean toilets virtualy non existant, daftest stupid rules you could not make up ,no its only a special kind of young lad who will enter into this job and when one comes knocking for a job he should be given all the encouragement and training free of charge ,of course this will not happen as the driver in most cases is the neglec ted link in the chain by both the huliers and government.
I check the jobcentre website for my neck of the woods every day or so. Today there’s 4 new pages of “jobs” 95% of which are just agencies looking to get drivers on their books for the summer peak.
AndyH71:
It is an expensive thing to do, only got my class 1 on 27th Jan this year at a cost of just over 3k. I was lucky, I was a coach driver, tour driver at that, and not to blow my own trumpet too much I was bloody good at it.
Cant of been that good if it cost you 3k to pass, not like they needed to teach you how to drive a rigid.
The jobs great, I love it and would recomend it. Good news that new entrants has nosedived, hope that trend continues. 
i have to agree with the comments on the older generation a great deal of drivers round here are beyond a certain age. this i think is where the shortage will really hit, as for agencies yes they do advertise jobs to get people through the door whether they have them or not.
i cant for the life of me see why a young person would want to come into the industry? early starts/nights out/long hours/not really well paid/treat as a 2nd class citizen/more and more legislation to deal with. or you could go to tesco/morrisons/mcdonalds and earn not far off a hgv hourly rate in any case. 
war1974:
i have to agree with the comments on the older generation a great deal of drivers round here are beyond a certain age. this i think is where the shortage will really hit, as for agencies yes they do advertise jobs to get people through the door whether they have them or not.
i cant for the life of me see why a young person would want to come into the industry? early starts/nights out/long hours/not really well paid/treat as a 2nd class citizen/more and more legislation to deal with. or you could go to tesco/morrisons/mcdonalds and earn not far off a hgv hourly rate in any case.
As a member of the older generation[now retired]i fully agree with everything you say,im certainly glad to be out of it and i loved it when i was doing it.
regards dave.
I thought someone had missed the pin again 
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