shortage of HGV drivers UK

My DSIL is an HGV driver, including driving the large double articulated trucks.
He is an excellent driver, the problem his company have had getting new drivers is getting worse. The Eastern European drivers turn up with licences which look like they came out of a lucky bag, definately not valid here.
He has to collect from farms and just last year ended up in a ditch because the farmer had not gritted the lane as per his contract.
It is not just a UK problem but a problem for every ethical company.

faringdon59

Having been married to a HGV driver in the past I have a bit of an insight on this subject.
Most of them sleep in their cabs, so sometimes you'll sleep well, sometimes not. Your access to health food when away can be limited as well.
If you do continental work there is added paperwork to consider and nowadays possibly people trying to hitch a ride in the back of your lorry.
It's never been viewed as a profession, which is a shame, considering it's importance.
Recently there has been a government change in allowing the number of working hours on the road to be increased.
In view of safety I feel this to be a very retrograde move.

I’m very concerned about the increase in the amount of hours drivers are allowed to drive. There was a horrible accident last week involving a couple of lorries and my first thought was that I hoped it hadn’t been caused by tiredness. I’ve also read that the government are planning to make it easier for people to obtain a HGV licence by lowering standards. I hope they don’t do away with the medicals as well. All of this seems to be being slipped through with very few people noticing it.

Keeper1

There was a shortage of HGV Class 1 drivers before Brexit. It was difficult to attract new drivers due to hours, conditions and pay. Driving a 40 foot long vehicle round London is no joke with cyclists whizzing up the inside cars whipping in front and expecting an articulated lorry to just stop. It isn't always great sleeping in the cab trying to find somewhere safe to stop etc. Facilities are much better abroad.

yes exactly, so why was there no forward thinking, no investment just nothing?

I don't understand why nothing has been done.

Some say we are short of 30000, others up to 90000. The reality is probably somewhere in between. Whichever is correct, it is an absolute mess and will have consequences for the whole of UK.

centralbylines.co.uk/ask-sire-john-hayes-where-the-fruit-and-veg-has-gone/

Talking about drivers from the EU and Eastern Europe having left with no intention of coming back, for all the reasons stated.

One factor never talked about is the value of Sterling. Those drivers, and other workers in agriculture and restaurants/hotels, etc - work abroad to save money to build a home when they return, and have a better quality of life long-term. Much better to work in countries where they are welcome, can work in good conditions, AND have their salary in a currency that will represent much higher conversion 'back home'.

There was a shortage of HGV Class 1 drivers before Brexit. It was difficult to attract new drivers due to hours, conditions and pay. Driving a 40 foot long vehicle round London is no joke with cyclists whizzing up the inside cars whipping in front and expecting an articulated lorry to just stop. It isn't always great sleeping in the cab trying to find somewhere safe to stop etc. Facilities are much better abroad.

Whitewavemark2

Just travelled the length up and down of England on motor ways, and I do wonder whether tiredness is causing so much poor driving by the lorry drivers.

A lot frequently wander dangerously between lanes and twice I was boxed in by huge lorries, each time the one alongside attempted to turn into my lane with absolutely no space and each time if I hadn’t sounded my horn I would have been crushed.

I agree that it can be quite frightening on the motorways with the numbers of huge lorries on them.

Brexit and Covid have arrived together and caused all sorts of difficulties. We could see and anticipate Brexit, but not Covid.

found this but I'll have to contact them to get a quote

No where have I suggested HGV drivers shouldn't be paid well or have good/reasonable working conditions. I am against their hours/miles being extended, like most people. I just don't understand why none of this was foreseen and why no one is accountable for it. I don't think it's favourable Eastern European driver had poor conditions either.

I drive on the M25 semi regular and I am often a bit at how many lanes heavy vehicles drive in too fwiw. The lanes are so narrow on some parts.

I don’t understand Nannan2. You can qualify to drive heavy vehicles from age 21 - or even 18 if you meet certain training and experience requirements.

Are you not in the UK?

Just travelled the length up and down of England on motor ways, and I do wonder whether tiredness is causing so much poor driving by the lorry drivers.

A lot frequently wander dangerously between lanes and twice I was boxed in by huge lorries, each time the one alongside attempted to turn into my lane with absolutely no space and each time if I hadn’t sounded my horn I would have been crushed.

*drive x2.typo?

Thats why Deedaa that i get nervy as a passenger on that side when im in my sons car (Focus) & we're on motorway- bloody HGV drivers should stay in slow lane!(thought they were making that a law?) Good job my sons a good driver! If they didn't make younger drivers wait till 25 for everything maybe they'd have more take it up- my sons been driving since 19- he's a very good careful driver, yet he can't even hire a luton van as he's only nearly 23! Its ridiculous- it should go more on how long you have been driving, how much experience etc. My middle son has now got long vehicle licence as he's trained as a bus driver, (also big) but still not allowed to drive a drive a lorry, & he's 32! They can't get experience if they can't do the training though , and my younger son would have liked to.But they just see he's a 'young driver'- it doesn't mean he's reckless though.Some of the HGV drivers being idiots on motorways are well older!

I know what you mean faringdon59 My husband got out pof European transport in 2000 when the problems with "unwanted passengers" was only just beginning. Although he did once stop and let some Serbians siphon off some diesel for their van in Germany, which was very unlike him.

I read a driver today saying that Covid isn't the problem. He said none of them have the app because with the distances they travel they would be pinged 24 hours a day.

I really hope they don't extend driving hours any further. There are still firms out there "encouraging" drivers to find ways round tachographs we don't need the government saying long hours are fine.

Having been married to a HGV driver in the past I have a bit of an insight on this subject.
Most of them sleep in their cabs, so sometimes you'll sleep well, sometimes not. Your access to health food when away can be limited as well.
If you do continental work there is added paperwork to consider and nowadays possibly people trying to hitch a ride in the back of your lorry.
It's never been viewed as a profession, which is a shame, considering it's importance.
Recently there has been a government change in allowing the number of working hours on the road to be increased.
In view of safety I feel this to be a very retrograde move.

Yes, it is not just Brexit- but a disastrous combination of several factors. Brexit is a disaster in so many ways for so many people- but the unforeseen combination of Brexit + Covid - is truly catastrophic for the UK.

Special schemes were put in place for Harvest Workers on farms and some other areas but not truck drivers. Let’s not kid ourselves if driving a truck was so desirable there would not have been so many overseas drivers in previous years, pay and conditions are not good for most.

How many local authorities have had to cancel refuse collections this week?

sounds like they are all blaming one another
it's been how many years since 'we' voted to leave the EU what was happening before that? and in between lockdowns?
what government money has been made available for people to train?

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/20/hgv-license-fast-track-wont-stop-uk-food-shortages-industry-warns

The pinging is much about in-store staff absence. Food is reaching stores but there are few staff on duty to off-load goods and replenish shelves.

The app has been in place and working for 10.5 months- exactly the same app- so that is not the problem. The rising infection rate is...

HGV drivers having left in droves, and Brexit, for this and so many other reasons. And the transition period coming over from the end of June.

Before Brexit most driving agencies used East European drivers, they didn’t need working visas then so they went home
The government tell us that 5 million foreigners have applied for visas, not many have been approved yet, another benefit of Brexit.

The rates of pay are not as good as they were and it does cost a lot to train HGV drivers.

Another problem is that training and testing have been disrupted by Covid.

That is what they are trying to make you believe.
Pinging is a minor problem- Brexit and the EU HGV drivers is the main reason.

Someone in the trade said today we are short of 90.000 HGV drivers.

I thought the shortage was due to the 'pinging' problem?

It’s a lot more complicated than 1975, the long distance international drivers do make good wages, but it takes its toll on family life, day driving and home each night the wages are not great.