In a word - EVERYTHING!
I absolutely guarantee, that many people who’ve read the ‘driver shortage’ dialogue in the press, will not stick in the job for very long. My guess is probably less than six months.
We ALL know what’s wrong with the modern trucking industry, but the trouble is the hauliers just don’t want to listen, which is why they are in the mess they are in now.
No good increasing pay, without sorting out all the other issues that makes retaining drivers, such an imposssible venture.
Winseer:
You’d take the Laissez-faire pound-for-pound over the Spanish Inquisition one - wouldn’t you?
I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition. 
Two most prevalent issues…
Max Hours shortened, with pay structure adjusted accordingly.
Scrap 9 hours off to a minimum 11, maybe 10 once a week at DRIVER’S discretion…handy if you want to get home sooner end of week.
Then…
Sort out the chronic lack of suitable overnight parking places, govt funding for more proper truckstops, and lift parking bans on Ind ests, (trucks and industry go hand in hand ffs.)
A maximum charge of 15 quid on MSAs to stop the blatant profiteering,.especially when it’s a no choice situation.
Basically make the job less unattractive, if I wasn’t already a driver, and seeing things as they are now… there is no way in hell I’d be wanting to start it.
It would be a ‘‘■■■■ that’’ situation.
robroy:
Winseer:
You’d take the Laissez-faire pound-for-pound over the Spanish Inquisition one - wouldn’t you?I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition.
The driver shortage is international.
Whilst we are asking what needs to change, so are others way beyond the power of us or Politicians.
It has cost a lot of very wealthy companies an enormous amount of money. This issue is therefore getting the attention of very powerful people; such as those who attend the WEF etc. They will not let this happen again.
I’m afraid all gains at this point will be short term gains as the people mentioned above take a long-term view & have the resources to implement their desires. Their desires will be far from ours & will likely consist of consolidating transport to remove our ability to effect change through choice of employer. When there are only 3 or 4 super large hauliers our ability to move on for higher pay is removed. The transport industry will become just like the supermarkets are now. Any haulier who is a threat to the oligopoly of super large hauliers will either be purchased or decimated.
I would also assume they will be pushing hard for driverless trucks, which seems like an impossibility in current traffic, but less so when you consider ONLY driverless vehicles will be allowed on the roads in future.
I also expect much more nefarious remedies, which only their greedy minds can conjure, are being considered too. Look at the fact that so many safety regressive policies have been implemented in such a short time to understand how their power is already beginning to show.
I advise you to make hay whilst the sun shines right now, & invest wisely, because this is not going to be a decades long issue at the expense of the super greedy & powerful.
POA needs to go as well, who wants to be on the job for 80 hrs a week.
One co. I worked for, out-based from main yard, sent a memo to my manager, stating that I was not using POA. Asked for a copy, and also copy of list of hours. Next time into the office, I asked the staff about not using POA and was told it was the law! Ended up with the " Transport Manager". Was told that while in RDC, waiting to be un-loaded, that was POA. My reply? I deliver garage doors, so when am I in RDC? " Well when you got to a building site and told 30 min before you can come in, that is POA" No, because I did not know before hand, so it either work\break. Why do I have to use POA?. Because it will keep your hours down! to under the 48 hr rule! So how many hrs am I doing?..42
What needs to change■■?//The Management. Most of us know what we are doing. 