What are they calling for? Subsidising licence and training costs for new drivers
No. No subsidies. The cost is a relative small one in the grand scheme of things. You should not be throwing out HGV licences like candy. People should have to want it. Heck, every time I see some warehouse to wheels scheme. I’d say 7 out 10 times the person wants to go back into the warehouse because they decide they do not like it.
I do agree with getting more women in the job though. The solution for that is stupidly simple. More safe spaces to park. Better MSAs and more facilities. But none of that will happen. Not many people want to work when you may have to pee in a bucket.
This is the problem all over the country. Pencil pushers who contribute nothing get paid a pretty penny so obviously people want to gravitate towards that. The jobs that are actually needed for the country to run but require a bit graft are shafted. Chickens are coming home to roost so something has to give eventually. This isn’t just a problem here but all over Europe.
What are they calling for? Subsidising licence and training costs for new drivers
No. No subsidies. The cost is a relative small one in the grand scheme of things. You should not be throwing out HGV licences like candy. People should have to want it. Heck, every time I see some warehouse to wheels scheme. I’d say 7 out 10 times the person wants to go back into the warehouse because they decide they do not like it.
I do agree with getting more women in the job though. The solution for that is stupidly simple. More safe spaces to park. Better MSAs and more facilities. But none of that will happen. Not many people want to work when you may have to pee in a bucket.
Women will only do it if they want to do it…just like I would only work in an office if I would want to.
Where I last worked before retiring,the Company trained warehouse staff who wanted to try their hand at the wheel.Many because they thought we where on good money for doing the same hours as them. When they found it was 45-50 hrs a week starting a silly o`clock in the morning a fair few went back in the warehouse.
Saying that we had a couple of women came on onto transport and loved it.
Why should the tax payer in any way pay for LGV training. The public do not pay for tr ucks the the hauliers use.There are far to many other cards need before a new person can drive a truck for a living…CPC…MPQC…one card they are a money making joke let the haulage industry pay it is only another cost to set off against tax
Harry Monk:
It’s very simple, pay more money and people will want to do it.
I think that might be true for some people, say the over 30’s age bracket, but
even with better money there’s A LOT that needs to be done to make it appealing to many of those in the younger generation(s). The haulage industry with it’s 1970’s/1980’s mentality is anachronistic to what younger people expect from the world of work.
There will still be expectations from management that drivers will work long hours, with minimal breaks, and be prepared to sacrifice time for a life outside of work, which most people rightly expect in order to spend time with family and friends.
Not forgetting their legal responsibilities to follow ever-increasing laws and regulations, but which their management expect them to ignore because “No other drivers have a problem with it.”
And in return companies treat them like nameless work-bots and they get told “Oi! Drive! Can’t do that/Can’t park there”, then proceed to pile work on them, using some trendy buzz-phrase to make it seem like it’s their fault if it doesn’t get done. A previous employer of mine would relay messages via the office staff saying “If you do your work in a timely manner you’ll be able to fit it all in”.
Where’s the appeal all of that for a late-teen or 20-something? All young people have been put through the same moulding process at school, where academic tick-boxes are everything (though I’ve personally met people with a first-class degree who can’t cook pasta without advice from an older person).
Harry Monk:
It’s very simple, pay more money and people will want to do it.
I think that might be true for some people, say the over 30’s age bracket, but
even with better money there’s A LOT that needs to be done to make it appealing to many of those in the younger generation(s). The haulage industry with it’s 1970’s/1980’s mentality is anachronistic to what younger people expect from the world of work.
Could not agree more. The haulage/transport industry with everyday work as a driver is not on any young person’s career radar at all…unless they are born into a family transport firm OR rather unusually actually want to be a driver no matter what.
To get young folks in numbers into the industry as a career option, we need…
More sensible/flexible hours & shifts. I’d say 4 on 4 off is an obvious choice for a better work/life balance.
A job offering a career path…towards more money/better role if desired
Better rates…both at start & during career
Safe & free parking places with proper showers & decent food all at sensible prices
I know all of the above sounds ‘pie in the sky’ but’s that’s because the industry is generally stuck in 1970 and all the drivers that frequent this forum are long used to it. We know it will probably stay the same until we see some catalyst for change, such as a ‘real’ driver shortage. Does not mean the current situation is right…and it’s certainly not attractive to a young person. They can go and work in a warehouse or a supermarket for better money and conditions with little responsibility, known start/finish times and no night out.
I can see why few of the young would consider truck driving as a career when they can do something easier, potentially for more money. As for bringing folks in from a warehouse role, it’s a waste of money, most will not like the driving regime as it is currently in the UK…unless they are with a very forward-thinking employer.
