Keep this one simple - if HGV driver from Europe, would you come to help out on a 3 months contract?

It is not surprising that so few HGV drivers want to come to this country.

The Vote Leave government has completely trashed our international reputation as a decent trustworthy nation.

Having "worked in UK" on your CV could damage future employment prospects. Only six years ago that would have been a badge of honour. How low we have sunk, thanks to the Leave Liars.

I read that 29 people have applied for temporary HGV visas.

No ; What a cheek to ask them first tell them they are not wanted and then ask them back to help us.

If they were offered a huge wage for helping us then that might give them some incentive. Heard on the news not much interest has been shown by most about 150 "maybes" out of the 500 they are looking for.

It seems they have answered the question I asked.

I wonder though- which checks will be made on their qualifications, experience, and political/possible terrorist status. It would be the perfect Trojan Horse, no?

Just seen a fabulous picture on line - Eric Morecambe and André Previn 'there is no shortage of petrol, but it is not necessarily in the right place!?

The driver shortage is Europe wide- but nowere, but nowhere are there any issues with deliveries of anything, let alone petrol

And drivers are better paid and have far better conditions in Europe, and are much nearer home and without any of the hassle, red tape, massive waits in ports and so on.

I do not believe your graph is correct. If it was, why would the UK now beg drivers to come back?

Kali2 if you look at the graph I posted it shows that the difference in the percentage of EU drivers in the U.K. from last year to this is approximately 3%.

The driver shortage is Europe wide.

Brexit plays a small part in the U.K. shortage.

GrannyGravy13

I am not saying that the drivers returning to the EU, are the only cause, as according to this graph, there are still a percentage (looks like about 10/11% to me on this graph) working here.

The main problem is the homegrown drivers.

I just do not know if it’s the haulier company’s not paying enough and expecting to much? If so, importing cheap labour is not a solution for the long term.

Likewise I do not know what/how the Government could have legislated/planned for the lack of HGV drivers? They couldn’t/cannot force people into any profession.

The only thing I think they could/should have done was negotiate with freight companies to utilise smaller vehicles where possible,( transferring from containers onto smaller lorries in some circumstances) and make better use of the railway network.

I am sorry, but you are mixing two issues here- short term, and long term. Hauliers and the Government have known for a very long time that there is a shortage of home grown drivers-and what have they done about it?

In the meantime, knowing the above, getting rid of the EU drivers that were plugging the gap was nothing short of total nonsense. Knowing the above, and that many drivers had also switched to local deliveries for Amazon, DHL and the like, it was bordering on criminal. The consequences must have been known to the Industry and the Government departments concerned.

There are many factors involved, but BREXIT is a huge conributor.

MaizieD the cost of insuring drivers (multi-drop long wheel base vans) under 30 is exorbitant, I guess that for HGV’s it is/could be the same and not viable for many companies.

For this reason all our drivers are over 30.

GG13

I've mentioned before that my OH was in logisitcs for all of his working life; he managed at depot and regional level. I've met a good few lorry drivers socially over the years and my takeaway impression is that they were a cheerful, canny bunch who were happy with their work.

But, things have changed over the years; Just In Time deliveries and the growing ability for management to micro manage them (as though they were Amazon employees) with technology has taken away a lot of the freedom and trust that they used to enjoy. I don't think that this has helped in any way to make the job an attractive proposition.

So I do agree to a certain extent with your comments about the Haulage companies. Micro managing treats humans like automatons. It's not healthy and it's not attractive to employees.

Apprenticeships couldn't start until age 18 anyway. But at 18 you can drive up to 7.5 tonnes (with a trailer, which surprises me) For vehicles over 7.5 tonnes (including artics) it's 21. I can see complications with companies having the appropriate size vehicles, I admit, but surely not insuperable. There are plenty of 7.5 tonners on the roads. Don't call it an apprenticeship, call it a driver training scheme and fund it...

No

MaizieD I am not disagreeing with you.

I seriously do not know how this or any Government could make people want to be HGV drivers?

Apprenticeships for this couldn’t start until they were legally of age to drive these sort of vehicles, so unless they are straight out of University they would already (hopefully) be on a career path.

The Haulier Companies really do have to take some of the responsibility, they want the best drivers for the lowest price.
As it has been repeatedly posted on this and other threads, the life of a lorry driver is not conducive to family life and that is what most people strive for a good work/life balance

You beat me to it MaizieD, and said it better than I could have!

Likewise I do not know what/how the Government could have legislated/planned for the lack of HGV drivers? They couldn’t/cannot force people into any profession.

For the last decade we have had tory governments with a belief in the supremacy of the Market. I suspect that more could have been done with apprenticeships and subsidising the cost of driver training and qualifications to make it more feasible for young people to enter the profession. But that would have looked like interfering with the Market and to subsidise entry into shortage occupations would have looked too much like a 'command' economy and excessive government spending...

Add to that the easy availability of European drivers and the weird belief that leaving the EU would have no repercussions whatsoever and you have the makings of a perfect storm.

I am not saying that the drivers returning to the EU, are the only cause, as according to this graph, there are still a percentage (looks like about 10/11% to me on this graph) working here.

The main problem is the homegrown drivers.

I just do not know if it’s the haulier company’s not paying enough and expecting to much? If so, importing cheap labour is not a solution for the long term.

Likewise I do not know what/how the Government could have legislated/planned for the lack of HGV drivers? They couldn’t/cannot force people into any profession.

The only thing I think they could/should have done was negotiate with freight companies to utilise smaller vehicles where possible,( transferring from containers onto smaller lorries in some circumstances) and make better use of the railway network.

MayBeMaw

Quote Callistemon Wed 29-Sep-21 23:28:12
Never a good idea to stereotype us women, MayBeMaw

Does anyone remember Clara the long-distance lorry driver

True- but could we manage a whole Yorkie bar?

Oh yes!
I just bought one, perhaps I had a premonition that I might get called back to duty.

GrannyGravy13

This is a graph showing the proportion of EU HGV drivers working in the U.K. since 2016.

I think this shows that it’s the U.K. drivers who have retired or unable to renew/get their licences which is the problem.

You're clearly not impressed by my contention that if you remove a small element from a system that has absolutely no room for error it can lead to spectacular breakdown?

That graphic shows a drop in EU driver numbers in the past year. And you think that had no effect? (puzzled) It looks to me as if the EU drivers were masking the problem pre Brexit. Take out some and the system fails...

The Government 'hid' the problem behind EU drivers - then sent them packing with a massive flea and bad taste in the mouth! So back to the OP and it is still a big massive

NO

GrannyGravy13

This is a graph showing the proportion of EU HGV drivers working in the U.K. since 2016.

I think this shows that it’s the U.K. drivers who have retired or unable to renew/get their licences which is the problem.

So you mean the % have not changed for the past 5 years ?!? surely that indicates that the industry and the Governement have been fully aware of the issues - and have done NOTHING about it.

Then came Brexit + Covid ! So how will this crisis be solved when people stop panic buying at the pump. Pray, tell ??? The shortage is NOT going to go away in the next few months, is it?

The problem has many causes. Everyone knows that.

Brexit has compounded the issue.

Anybody who harps on about how its not because of Brexit is either disingenuous or trying to deflect the blame.

This is a graph showing the proportion of EU HGV drivers working in the U.K. since 2016.

I think this shows that it’s the U.K. drivers who have retired or unable to renew/get their licences which is the problem.

growstuff

I guess we'll know in a couple of weeks whether drivers come to the UK,so we won't need to speculate.

Very true growstuff ?

No, absolutely not! Also, if we offer huge financial incentives for lorry drivers from abroad to ‘help us out’, that is extremely insulting to the many UK drivers who have worked throughout the pandemic to keep the country rolling. What about making their pay and working conditions better!

No

^We should never ever have put such reliance on finance services and gradually shut down all manufacturing.
We also should not have allowed other countries to buy up our utilities.^

You're not the first to have said this, Cossy. I do hope that you, and the others who've said it, didn't vote for Thatcher, who initiated that destruction.