I’ve just last week accepted a mixer job on £36.5k with a quarterly bonus on top. There were 34 applicants for two positions.
Perhaps one way the Government could encourage more people to actually join this industry - is to offer a different treatment tier, as they did with NHS workers?
We’re supposedly “Key Workers” already - but see what the checkouts tell you when you ask if you get a discount there for being a key worker - like the NHS workers do, in or out of uniform…?
Why concern yourselves with a driver shortage if your employed ?
Wages will increase.
Conditions will improve.
Employers will realise they need to re-think that old saying (drivers are 10 a penny)
Plenty of noise on social media and this forum about the shortage, somebody up the food chain has heard it by now.
Take advantage of the situation go to school acquire an ADR tanks , Hiab, grab licence anything that will make you more valuable, learn more get paid more.
Plenty of opportunities for a thinking lorry driver at present.
Winseer:
Perhaps one way the Government could encourage more people to actually join this industry - is to offer a different treatment tier, as they did with NHS workers?We’re supposedly “Key Workers” already - but see what the checkouts tell you when you ask if you get a discount there for being a key worker - like the NHS workers do, in or out of uniform…?
Doesn’t matter if there in or out of uniform , they just have to present there badge as proof of nhs , my mrs always presents it and asks what discount there giving for nhs workers , amazing what she does get off stuff id of never dreamed she would .
robbo99.:
Rjan:
robbo99.:
And of the 70000 plus HGV licence holders, how many have a current CPC card? Not all that is a fact. Those 70000 plus licence holders aren’t all sat waiting for wages to go up to get in a truck, many wont drive a truck as they have better employment in other industries. Many will have passed in the forces and have never driven a truck in civvy street and have no intention of doing so.A driver shortage is when there are not enough bums on seats to take loads down the road. Every adult in the UK could hold a HGV licence but for what ever reasons if enough don’t pursue that career then a driver shortage arises.
Quite a lot of them have a current CPC, and many more are just a week away from having one.
If drivers have better employment in other industries, then hauliers need to compete with the pay and conditions of those other industries who attract people who are not only capable of being drivers, but actually are qualified drivers.
The fact that the industry keeps pestering for immigration, and people not quite knowing how the Tories are going to react in the long term, is another thing rattling the confidence of potential drivers, and a reason why people aren’t jumping ship.
The industry has to start offering permanent jobs at better rates and with better conditions. Offering a couple of pounds an hour on agency, for essentially the same old casual arrangements with ridiculous hours, won’t draw more people in overall.
Frankly there is still no evidence of an actual shortage of drivers willing to accept 40 hour permanent contracts for day work (and driving only, not loading). It’s just industry propaganda, combined with the howls of hauliers who can’t get drivers at the best of times, and whose work is now already being done by other drivers working for better firms.
In other words, we don’t have a shortage of drivers, we are simply seeing the death throes of the bottom-feeders of the market - and how they scream with their last breath.
I fail to see where you are coming from. Shortages of drivers for the bottom feeders of the market but no shortage for 40 hour contracts, so what? I think you will find that when loads don’t go down the road because many many firms can’t get enough drivers then that equals a driver shortage. Like I posted it doesn’t matter the reasons, there IS a driver shortage. I would guess that many hgv licence holders, not driving, will have no CPC entitlement and will have no interest in driving trucks. I’ve got a counter balance forklift licence and will never sit on one all the time I’ve got a hole in my ■■■, and I don’t need a meaningless CPC entitlement to do so.
Really?..are you ABSOLUTELY sure about that?
What if counter balance was paying £39 an hour. Are you honestly telling me you would shove a truck about for £10.50 an hour?
Of course you wouldn’t.
It’s a pay issue not a driver shortage issue.
This is only my personal experience so take from it what you will.
I got offered two jobs this week.
Class 2 - couple of nights out, 5 days, no weekends, absolute guaranteed finish on Friday latest 4pm Paid breaks. Company policy 11 hour rest daily. Company policy 45 minute break. ADR required. No multi drop.
£38,000 a year
Class 1 - 11 hours daily. Monday - Friday. No weekends. Paid breaks. Paid CPC. Extra for ADR. New trucks. Assigned truck.
£43,000 a year
Guess what… the driver shortage just reduced by one trucker. I’m sure it won’t take more than a day for the driver shortage to reduce by one more driver at these rates.
Pay the proper rate and the driver shortage disappeares overnight.
robbo99.:
Rjan:
robbo99.:
And of the 70000 plus HGV licence holders, how many have a current CPC card? Not all that is a fact. Those 70000 plus licence holders aren’t all sat waiting for wages to go up to get in a truck, many wont drive a truck as they have better employment in other industries. Many will have passed in the forces and have never driven a truck in civvy street and have no intention of doing so.A driver shortage is when there are not enough bums on seats to take loads down the road. Every adult in the UK could hold a HGV licence but for what ever reasons if enough don’t pursue that career then a driver shortage arises.
Quite a lot of them have a current CPC, and many more are just a week away from having one.
If drivers have better employment in other industries, then hauliers need to compete with the pay and conditions of those other industries who attract people who are not only capable of being drivers, but actually are qualified drivers.
The fact that the industry keeps pestering for immigration, and people not quite knowing how the Tories are going to react in the long term, is another thing rattling the confidence of potential drivers, and a reason why people aren’t jumping ship.
The industry has to start offering permanent jobs at better rates and with better conditions. Offering a couple of pounds an hour on agency, for essentially the same old casual arrangements with ridiculous hours, won’t draw more people in overall.
Frankly there is still no evidence of an actual shortage of drivers willing to accept 40 hour permanent contracts for day work (and driving only, not loading). It’s just industry propaganda, combined with the howls of hauliers who can’t get drivers at the best of times, and whose work is now already being done by other drivers working for better firms.
In other words, we don’t have a shortage of drivers, we are simply seeing the death throes of the bottom-feeders of the market - and how they scream with their last breath.
I fail to see where you are coming from. Shortages of drivers for the bottom feeders of the market but no shortage for 40 hour contracts, so what? I think you will find that when loads don’t go down the road because many many firms can’t get enough drivers then that equals a driver shortage. Like I posted it doesn’t matter the reasons, there IS a driver shortage. I would guess that many hgv licence holders, not driving, will have no CPC entitlement and will have no interest in driving trucks. I’ve got a counter balance forklift licence and will never sit on one all the time I’ve got a hole in my ■■■, and I don’t need a meaningless CPC entitlement to do so.
“CPC is so impossible to pass and so expensive it’s keeping drivers from working. It must be scrapped”
And back in the real world…
Driver CPC does not involve an exam.
There is no ‘pass or fail’
It costs less than £200 to acquire.
It can be done online sat in your living room
It takes less than a week to complete
You can literally sit in your underpants at home for five days (8am-4pm) and gain a CPC in less than a week. You could even do it over a couple of weekends if you’re working. You could do it over a few evenings at 3.5 hours a session.
They run half day courses, weekend courses, evening courses.
All for the price of a night out with the missus.
Seriously, you think CPC is keeping guys from the industry?
Why?
use a name:
Why concern yourselves with a driver shortage if your employed ?
Wages will increase.
Conditions will improve.
Employers will realise they need to re-think that old saying (drivers are 10 a penny)Plenty of noise on social media and this forum about the shortage, somebody up the food chain has heard it by now.
Take advantage of the situation go to school acquire an ADR tanks , Hiab, grab licence anything that will make you more valuable, learn more get paid more.
Plenty of opportunities for a thinking lorry driver at present.
Never a truer word spoken.
We let ourselves down badly by resisting training and up-skilllng.
‘bits of paper’ is how this new world operates…and they’re worth money to the right employers.
Build5:
“CPC is so impossible to pass and so expensive it’s keeping drivers from working. It must be scrapped”And back in the real world…
Driver CPC does not involve an exam.
There is no ‘pass or fail’
It costs less than £200 to acquire.
It can be done online sat in your living room
It takes less than a week to completeYou can literally sit in your underpants at home for five days (8am-4pm) and gain a CPC in less than a week. You could even do it over a couple of weekends if you’re working. You could do it over a few evenings at 3.5 hours a session.
They run half day courses, weekend courses, evening courses.
All for the price of a night out with the missus.
Seriously, you think CPC is keeping guys from the industry?
Why?
I agree with your sentiments (also your response prior to this one) but the DCPC is an unwanted hassle that many drivers can’t be arsed with. Unless the old-timers are desperate for money I don’t see them returning. One of my neighbours is retired but still has a valid class 1, medical up to date, but even though he’s aware of the uptick in rates and could do a few shifts a week, his DCPC has expired and so would need to undertake 35 hours of vegitating whilst listening to some trumpet tell him how to do the job he’s done for the past 40 years, and pay him £200 for the privilege. He’d much rather give it a miss and spend his time is his garage doing his woodworking/craftsman hobby stuff which he makes some money selling.
I agree with your sentiments (also your response prior to this one) but the DCPC is an unwanted hassle that many drivers can’t be arsed with. Unless the old-timers are desperate for money I don’t see them returning. One of my neighbours is retired but still has a valid class 1, medical up to date, but even though he’s aware of the uptick in rates and could do a few shifts a week, his DCPC has expired and so would need to undertake 35 hours of vegitating whilst listening to some trumpet tell him how to do the job he’s done for the past 40 years, and pay him £200 for the privilege. He’d much rather give it a miss and spend his time is his garage doing his woodworking/craftsman hobby stuff which he makes some money selling.
I agree.
The DCPC is an issue for older drivers, but it’s the one thing the Government won’t even consider relaxing the rules on.
Increasing driving hours – done.
Reducing rest periods – done.
Lowering driving test pass standards - done.
Removing driver medical requirement – done.
Fast tracking to class 1 – being considered.
Allowing instructors to assess their paying customers – being considered.
All options that will have a negative effect on safety.
Allow experienced older drivers to return to the industry without completing another round of 35 hours DCPC? – not even considered. This is despite the fact it will have no negative effect on safety as everybody who pays & attends passes.
DCPCFML:
Youngsters are not interested in working for a living.
Sweeping generalisation.
DCPCFML:
and become millionaires from buying Dogecoin on Robinhood app.
What is Battlefield, and how do you know so much about this stuff?
Build5:
robbo99.:
Rjan:
robbo99.:
You can literally sit in your underpants at home for five days (8am-4pm) and gain a CPC in less than a week. You could even do it over a couple of weekends if you’re working.?
I tried sitting there in my underpants at the training center and was asked to leave.
I found it quite amusing the other day on a job.
One of the guys was taking the urine out a delivery driver saying where has the other two drivers gone to a new driver.
saying what’s the problem is the company crap and crap money■■?
turns out it was the owner of the company in the truck as he can’t get anyone to drive the truck lmao
Noremac:
DCPCFML:
Youngsters are not interested in working for a living.Sweeping generalisation.
DCPCFML:
and become millionaires from buying Dogecoin on Robinhood app.What is Battlefield, and how do you know so much about this stuff?
Kids and their pals. It might be a sweeping generalisation but it’s mostly true.
DCPCFML:
Noremac:
DCPCFML:
Youngsters are not interested in working for a living.Sweeping generalisation.
DCPCFML:
and become millionaires from buying Dogecoin on Robinhood app.What is Battlefield, and how do you know so much about this stuff?
Kids and their pals. It might be a sweeping generalisation but it’s mostly true.
Same old nonsense that every generation comes out with.
If youngsters are reluctant to work, it’s probably some combination of pay often being far lower, work being less interesting, not having a car to get to work, and so on.
And anyway, the process of entering the workplace is learning to enjoy work and the fruits it provides.
I honestly think there are some people who would say “the problem with toddlers today is they aren’t interested in going to school without mummy holding their hand and paying for their food” - the whole point of sending them to school is so they become interested in it and so they eventually become productive.
It’s quite absurd to imagine it being the other way around, where they start with the enthusiasm and productivity before entering the school.
Found this today
Rjan:
DCPCFML:
Noremac:
DCPCFML:
Youngsters are not interested in working for a living.Sweeping generalisation.
DCPCFML:
and become millionaires from buying Dogecoin on Robinhood app.What is Battlefield, and how do you know so much about this stuff?
Kids and their pals. It might be a sweeping generalisation but it’s mostly true.
Same old nonsense that every generation comes out with.
If youngsters are reluctant to work, it’s probably some combination of pay often being far lower, work being less interesting, not having a car to get to work, and so on.
And anyway, the process of entering the workplace is learning to enjoy work and the fruits it provides.
I honestly think there are some people who would say “the problem with toddlers today is they aren’t interested in going to school without mummy holding their hand and paying for their food” - the whole point of sending them to school is so they become interested in it and so they eventually become productive.
It’s quite absurd to imagine it being the other way around, where they start with the enthusiasm and productivity before entering the school.
Why is there a culture these days of kids thinking they simply MUST go to University, rather than a vocational college/apprentiship thing where you get an albeit more menial job than “MP’s Pencil Sharpener” with your degree in Communication Studies/Classics/Flower Arranging…
The only degrees that one should be able to study - are those that actually lead to a job branch that has a skill shortage currently, rather than someone who graduates in Toilet Paper Folding, only to end up as Master of the Privy Chamber, instead of Boss of Smurfit Kappa…
Hey Bud, I heard you got a 2:1 in HGV hoops and hurdle laws management… How come you missed out on a double first?
I crashed the wagon through a plate glass window on my test.
Oh, I’m sorry to hear that… Leaves you still suitable for any of the many “Six points OK” jobs though - don’t it? SMILE!