The average age of a trucker is 53 years old and the over 50s represent 47% of all drivers. Most recently the ata estimated that the trucking industry ended 2018 with a shortage of more than 60,000 truck drivers. Even so, trucking companies, especially truckload carriers, often have great difficulty finding, hiring and keeping drivers. The hgv driver shortage is limiting the haulage industrys ability to. Driver shortage rha sets the record straight 15th december 2017 there has been a lot of speculation in the media recently about the hgv driver shortage, the possibility of christmas delay disasters, and postbrexit supply chain disruption as a result. Theres a shortage of bigrig truck drivers in the u. Why america is facing a shortage of truck drivers youtube. Produced from data supplied by members in a survey during october 2018, the report confirms that wages for hgv drivers are increasing faster than inflation. The trucker is becoming an endangered species as lorry driver. Why theres a shortage of truck drivers in america huffpost. The annual survey revealed that almost half of respondents 46 percent state that the lack of drivers and other skilled workers across the industry was the biggest hurdle to success. Professional bus and truck drivers are the industrys key assets, moving people and goods where they need to be. Long haul truck driver hgv lgv drivers we are currently accepting requests from foreign nationals seeking to live and work in canada on an expedited basis for immediate fulltime employment in the canadian trucking industry.
Rha pay report shows that hgv driver wages are increasing. The american trucking associations says the industry needs to hire. The main factors thought to be contributing to the shortage within the transport and cargo industry are. Truck driver general visa options skill shortage lists.
In the uk, estimates suggest a shortfall of more than 50,000 qualified drivers, with the number of unfilled vacancies increasing by 50 each day. New report quantifies canadas driver shortage truck news. Bad press, high demand and a lack of skilled labor has led to a yearlong truck driver shortage, and it doesnt show signs of stopping. Fta has been talking with members of the public to discover what their perception is of the logistics industry, and asked them whether they would choose lorry driving. Asset alliance groups industry monitor records that 35% of surveyed decision makers believed the main reason for the hgv driver shortage was low wages compared to similar jobs, while 21% said current drivers hours legislation made work unappealing for. Now, with the massive importation of cheap labour from abroad, it may not be so bad. The truck driver shortage there is no doubt that a career as a hgv driver is one of the most unattractive career paths that one can take at present. The driver shortage vanished during the 2008 recession. The trucking industry lost respect for itself and therefore there was no respect for people who chose that industry as a career. A jobsite for the haulage industry to find hgv driver jobs, haulage news, hgv driver advice and all things trucking. The exact size of the driver shortage ranges from 45,000 to 50,000 drivers according to the road haulage association rha, and 52,000 by british international freight association bifa estimates. Lgv truck licence information and hgv jobs at driver shortage. The current cdl driver shortage causes increased competition among trucking companies for the same. With the average age of hgv drivers being 53, much older than the national average, and only 2% under the age of 25 many drivers are coming up to retirement while not enough young drivers are coming through to replace them.
Why is driver turnover so high in the trucking industry. People working in the trucking industry say a shortage of drivers is looming larger than ever and freight and logistics companies say they cant fill positions as fast as baby boomers are leaving them. Theres a shortage of hgv drivers in an economy that relies on moving mountains of heavy goods. As we move ever closer to the big christmas season once again, the impact of the current driver shortage in the uk hgv industry has yet again come to the fore with industry bosses using national lorry week this october to express further highlight the problem to the wider public. The driver shortage is a myth on the road trucking info. Members have highlighted that hgv drivers and mechanics are becoming increasingly hard to recruit and the age demographic, specifically within the hgv driver population, is. That seems like a lot, but we should remember that not everyone with an hgv licence will be working as an hgv driver. France has a shortage of 20,000 drivers, while road freight associations in. How to address uks hgv driver shortage in 2019 anthony. The more flexible you are and the more skilled and stable you are, the more chances you have at getting a truck driving job. Keep on trucking a shortage of lorry drivers is getting worse.
Many employers are unwilling to offer work to drivers without experience, forcing drivers into a catch22 situation where they cannot get driving work to gain that experience. The truckdriver shortage is boosting drivers salaries, but salaries are still as much as 50% lower than they were in the 1970s. A combination of health problems, an ageing workforce and a failure to recruit younger workers is creating a severe shortage of drivers that could damage the overall economy, trade union unite has warned. Jan 17, 2018 a driver shortage is the biggest challenge facing the transport industry in 2018, according to a uk customer survey by paragon software systems. The overhaul follows americas truck driver shortage. Truck drivers salaries are rising in 2018, but not fast. Why the driver shortage is causing sleepless nights for.
The shortage of qualified truck drivers in canada may reach the tens of thousands by the start of the next decade, according to a recently released report from the conference board of canada, leaving the industry scrambling to find ways to fill. The hgv driver shortage is limiting the haulage industrys ability to deliver high quality services. The hgv driver shortage has been the subject of controversy recently, with some calling a myth while many others are concerned for the haulage industry, particularly after brexit. Jun 17, 2015 number of hgv drivers in the uk april june 2014.
What steps is the trucking industry taking to end it. Europes driver shortage is spiraling out of control. Mar 04, 2016 the driver shortage vanished during the 2008 recession. If it is and you meet the requirements, getting a work or resident visa will be easier. According to an article in a national newspaper haulage bosses need to train 45,000 new truckers just to fill existing vacanciesthe shortage is growing at the rate of 50 a day with a further 20,000 expected to quit by the end of the year. There are plenty of trucking jobs to go around, so why do we have a truck driver shortage when so many americans report they are looking for better pay. Jan 09, 2018 trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage more than 70 percent of goods consumed in the u. Truck drivers are the basic unit of transportation capacity and the glue that holds supply chains together. Trucker shortage threatens postbrexit trade boom with. February 24, 2017 high demand for longhaul truck drivers hgv drivers means a canada visa is widely available to foreign workers looking for jobs in canada, in this occupation. The road haulage association is providing free industry advice on how brexit will affect your business. Despite assurances from two conservative mps to their constituents two weeks ago that dvla was about to announce. Hauliers warn of acute shortage of drivers the irish news.
The road transport industry is the backbone of the economy and plays an essential role in peoples daily lives. Very few new hires are expected in the near future, resulting in a driver shortage. Murphy attributed irelands looming driver shortage to a myriad of factors including red tape and the absence of an apprenticeship programme. It has called for the industry to invest in the health and welfare of drivers to reverse this. What is being done to address the hgv driver shortage. See if truck driver general is on one of immigration new zealands skill shortage lists. The long hours and time away from home puts off a lot of people from choosing hgv driving as a career. However, since the recovery in 2011, the entire trucking industry came under the grip of a driver shortage. In response to a recent parliamentary question, minister of state for training john halligan said a threeyear hgv driver apprenticeship will be rolled out later this year with the irha as industry lead. Ive been a hgv one driver for 30 years and cant wait to leave the industry,because the industry has nothing to offer a driver. An arizona trucking association volunteer gives a free lunch to a truck driver, at a rest area along i10 in sacaton, ariz. At this point in time, the uk is approximately between 45,00060,000 drivers short, expected to rise to 70,000 by the end of the year. But until any such efforts make a big dent in the driver shortage, wages and freight costs are likely to continue rising.
This is particularly true for drivers with families. Walmart says a truck driver shortage has changed trucker. Professional bus and truck drivers are the industrys. Why do companies come up with work they would never dream of working themselves.
Moving goods between the uk and the eu will change from 31st october. A major problem for the longhaul trucking industry is that a large percentage of these drivers are aging, and are expected to retire. Government urged to act over hgv driver shortage a failure to deliver safe, secure rest areas and address shortcomings in the apprenticeship levy are damaging efforts to tackle the driver shortage, truck associations have warned. But, is there actually a shortage, or is the problem something else entirely. Keep on trucking a shortage of lorry drivers is getting. If your business relies on getting things from a to b, search a to brexit or visit. A shortage of doctors combined with moves by landlords to close premises during the coronavirus outbreak is preventing hgv drivers from getting their d4 medicals renewed. Is the truck driver shortage really as bad as it seems. No container or straight truck or trailer moves without, at some point, a truck driver. Truck driver shortage slows trucking industry and it could. The chronic shortage of qualified drivers continues to make hgv news headlines, unsurprising given the nations use of road haulage across the supply chain.
Oct 26, 2017 more than 70 percent of the goods we consume are carried by truck drivers on the nations highways. Fta is addressing the increasing concern surrounding skills shortages within logistics. Truck driver shortage is on course to double in a decade. In its most recent skills shortage report, the freight transport association fta in november reported that uk driver shortages had risen sharply to 52,000 in the twelve months leading up to the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 49%. To those out of work, seeking a change, or leaving the services, hgv driving presents a most interesting option. The job pays a middleclass wage, yet few people want it. An aging fleet of drivers is one of the main reasons for the driver shortage. Walmarts trucking fleet used to be as selective as harvard, but a truck driver shortage has changed how walmart hires. Driver shortage explains some of the common myths about the uk haulage and logistics industry lgv truck licence information and hgv jobs at driver shortage. Agencies typically pay more to drivers but this work can be limited and infrequent. Significantly fewer young people are taking up careers as commercial drivers the average age of a truck driver is now at 57 years. Free seminars and webinars delivered by legal experts, backhouse jones, and a dedicated industry helpline will help you to plan ahead.
Alamy and the shortage is growing at the rate of 50 a day with a. A shortage of qualified hgv drivers threatens the boom in trade predicted once we have shaken off the eus shackles credit. As hgv mots suspended and truck driving hours amended. Truck driver shortage crisis now spreading across the whole of europe european road transport firms are racing towards a driver shortage crisis of 150,000 unfilled jobs, according to new research from transport intelligence. The forhire trucking market does not have a driver shortage problem. Jun 04, 2018 wages in the industry are on the rise as the driver shortage deepens. The driver shortage is currently estimated at 35,000 lgv drivers 2.
If there was a real driver shortage then newbies would be offered a full time permanent job the moment they passed. How is the hgv driver shortage affecting the haulage. There is a huge amount of negatives to being a truck driver, and few, if any, incentives to pursue a career as a hgv driver. Bls says truck driver shortage isnt real business insider.
There is, a surplus shortage, of drivers desperate for work, that the industry can use to keep wages and conditions down. Europes driver shortage is spiraling out of control jordon. A new report says the industry needs to hire roughly 90,000 new truckers each year to keep up. Despite the shortage of drivers, salaries within the sector are lower than average. There are several factors that have led to and exacerbated the trucker shortage, lets dive in to reveal the causes and potential solutions for the industry. Germany is facing a shortage of 45,000 truck drivers. Nov 07, 20 truck driver shortage by car blog editor november 7, 20 right now, a lot of trucking companies are facing a problem with driver shortages, according to the president of rightway trucking nigel oliver. A co armagh firm has warned that an acute shortage of hgv lorry drivers in northern ireland will ultimately lead to consumers having to pay more in the shops for their goods.
Latest hgv driver shortage facts, figures and perspectives. There is a shortage of truck drivers in the united states. The trucker is becoming an endangered species as lorry. Dvla delay on d4 medical decision condemned by hgv drivers. The government introduced numerous schemes to encourage more people into the industry including the logistic skills award where funding was available for an lgv licence and a driving goods vehicles nvq. Truck driver shortage crisis now spreading across the. In his spring budget, chancellor george osborne announced. Marc decarie, company director of lexon transport, an ottawabased transport company, has more trucks than drivers. Average age of a truck driver in the uk hgv training network. The truck driver shortage is poorly understood, poorly defined and overlabeled as a problem, donald broughton, principal and managing. If your one of them who inputs not driving inbetweene not driving and the truck is sitting there then you are leaving yourself open for mistakes and grief, ie just leave your card in on break. Sep 27, 2015 the trucker is becoming an endangered species as lorry driver shortage hits the industry there is a shortage of 60,000 drivers and a quarter of truckers are set to retire in the next ten years share. Bigrig truck driver shortage worsened by coronavirus marketplace. Over the last 15 years there has been a steady increase in average driver age, rising from 45.
In a report released this week, european road freight transport 2018, the supply chain analyst shows that in just six. Nearly every period of economic growth is accompanied by a driver shortage, including the recovery that began in 2009. In germany, the dslv transport union reports that in the next 15 years, twothirds of drivers will retire. The trucking industry needed tens of thousands of drivers even before the coronavirus hit. The driver shortage is a myth on the road january 18, 2012 by jim park there are thousands of men and women out there today with a cdl in their pocket no longer working as truck drivers.
This compares with only 2,000 people receiving truckdriving qualifications each year. Trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage. However, germany is not far behind, with 45,000 current truck driver vacancies to fill. The driver shortage is largely the result of legislation. The bureau of labor statistics estimates that the average age of a commercial truck driver in the u.
How is the hgv driver shortage affecting the haulage industry. Shortage of hgv drivers post brexit by a staggering 45,000, haulage bosses say the shortage is growing by some 50 a day by 2020 the hgv driver shortfall will be 150,000 professional hgv drivers are leaving the industry eu drivers are starting to return home. Aug 02, 2016 a mirror vision of industrial failure the uk lorry trade. It plays well in truck driving schools and recruiting ads, but it creates more danger than good. Weve blogged previously about the shortage of haulage drivers in the uk. Once you realize that the trucking industry is plagued with turnover the next logical question to ask is why. The reality is that many believe being a hgv driver is a dying profession with only 1% of drivers being under the age of 25. With the long working day, this means the pay per hour is even less.
Mps say government should intervene in driver shortage. The uk is among several other european countries experiencing major driver shortage issues. The wall street journal recently reported on the need for 48,000 truckers in an industry of 800,000. The federal government just confirmed what americas 1. And the shortage is growing at the rate of 50 a day with a. Becoming a walmart trucker isnt easy but the rewards are serious. Jan 14, 2018 a shortage of qualified hgv drivers threatens the boom in trade predicted once we have shaken off the eus shackles credit. Why is there a shortage of haulage drivers in the uk. Click here to take a look at hgv driving vacancies around the uk. Driver shortage affecting whole of europe fleet speak. However, since the recovery in 2011, the entire trucking industry came under the grip of a driver shortage problem, which skyrocketed to. A mirror vision of industrial failure the uk lorry trade.
For some years there has been a shortage of hgv drivers. There are multiple variables at play, but here is a list of common reasons that we think causes turnover within the trucking industry. Trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage more than 70 percent of goods consumed in the u. The canadian trucking industry is facing a shortage of long haul drivers to the tune of 48,000 by 2024, meaning those seeking canada immigration have an excellent.
But insiders said its getting worse for companies looking for semi drivers. A failure to deliver safe, secure rest areas and address shortcomings in the apprenticeship levy are damaging efforts to tackle the driver shortage, truck associations have warned. Trucking has become better paid in 2018 but not enough to. What is the view of truck drivers who are on the roads in the uk, and why do they believe there is a driver shortage problem. The federal reserve, in its monthly beige book, cited the trucking sector as one area where employers have responded to. Uk sleepwalking into a driving crisis due to health. People working in the trucking industry say a shortage of drivers is looming larger than ever and freight and logistics companies say they cant fill positions as fast as baby boomers are leaving.
The trucker is becoming an endangered species as lorry driver shortage hits the industry there is a shortage of 60,000 drivers and a quarter of truckers are set to retire in the next ten years share. As online orders soar, driver shortage stalls supply chain wwd. The shortage of hgv drivers in the uk has climbed to 59000 as 64% of. Unsurprisingly, thats leading to a bidding war for qualified truckers among the big companies. Dire driver shortages in us trucking companies could hit consumers. According to a report by the bbc june 2015, statistics reveal that some 1. Hgv driver shortage will grow to crisis point unless pay. Truck driver shortage crisis now spreading across the whole of. May 28, 2018 america has a shortage of 51,000 truck drivers. As hgv mots suspended and truck driving hours amended comes new call to government now pallet carriers ask for fuel duty derogation uk in light of the myriad problems the covid19 epidemic is bringing to the supply chain the government has introduced a range of measures to ensure logistics can continue business as near normal as possible.
1495 1324 1066 728 88 1076 1303 653 1549 821 517 918 1482 1106 960 1312 502 527 138 1088 244 749 606 795 1025 601 1458 534 872 212 122 1041 435 938 885 1014 800 1138 916 1470