OT Shortage of lorry drivers? What is to blame?

[rolymiller]

Be interested to hear some of our lorry driving bros and sisters on here and other opinions. If I remember correctly Loyal miller is a lorry driver by trade.

Is it to do with Brexit? Covid? Pay and conditions for drivers? A combination of the lot? Other things?

...and whats the solution?

[Brin]

Roly mi owd. When I left the pit I took my Class 1 HGV as it was called back then. I was on the road for approximately 3 months and didn’t take to it at all. 44 Tonners fully loaded and long distance wasn’t for me.

Waking up in a morning with the possibility of no bathroom facilities because you had park up due to running out of driving hours. Things didn’t always go to plan. Like I say, long hours, unsociable, weekend work always thrown in. I’m amazed how some drivers have stuck it for all the years they have. Average pay to boot, I’m not surprised a lot have called it a day.

[millertop]

Seriously though I haven’t had problems with deliveries but the petrol station near Dinnington ran out of fuel

Maybe get more rail lines open for freight?

[frogmiller]

Seriously though I haven’t had problems with deliveries but the petrol station near Dinnington ran out of fuel

Maybe get more rail lines open for freight?

But then you'd have to have trucks moving the freight from the depots to the shops.

[millertop]

But then you'd have to have trucks moving the freight from the depots to the shops.

Yes but not long distance so maybe some won’t mind doing the job then, won’t have to spend days on road but I’ve never been a truck driver so not got a clue tbh

[frogmiller]

Yes but not long distance so maybe some won’t mind doing the job then, won’t have to spend days on road but I’ve never been a truck driver so not got a clue tbh

You're right. I watch a programme where Nestle and United Biscuits used the same trucks.

https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Ar...n-distribution

[Redshank]

Roly mi owd. When I left the pit I took my Class 1 HGV as it was called back then. I was on the road for approximately 3 months and didn’t take to it at all. 44 Tonners fully loaded and long distance wasn’t for me.

Waking up in a morning with the possibility of no bathroom facilities because you had park up due to running out of driving hours. Things didn’t always go to plan. Like I say, long hours, unsociable, weekend work always thrown in. I’m amazed how some drivers have stuck it for all the years they have. Average pay to boot, I’m not surprised a lot have called it a day.

According to the one HGV driver I know; Covid apart, the underlying problem is a mixture of what Brin says plus Brexit. There's less eastern European drivers and young Brits don't fancy a career as an HGV driver due to the relatively low pay and poor conditions.

If Brexit plays out as promised by Farage etc. then, using the lorry driver issue as an example, pay and conditions should improve noticeably, thus creating better quality job opportunities for the British. Problem solved.

However, that will mean increased costs somewhere in the chain, ultimately to the consumer, meaning higher prices at the checkout etc...... NOT what was promised by Farage etc.

[millertop]

I blame the drivers who can’t hack it

[flourbasher]

More people ordering on line leading to more deliveries has to be one of the causes but that's probably linked back to covid.

There's a few things that could be done to ease the crisis though I just don't think the govt has looked over the horizon enough and done anything about it until it's now upon us .
Fast tracking tests
Free or subsidised testing and training
Recognising that delivery drives are rapidly become one of the key essential services
Increasing t,s and c,s
Relaxing some EU working visa rules

The govt is now talking about doing some of the above but it's after the horse has bolted. Poor management

[avondalemiller]

More people ordering on line leading to more deliveries has to be one of the causes but that's probably linked back to covid.

There's a few things that could be done to ease the crisis though I just don't think the govt has looked over the horizon enough and done anything about it until it's now upon us .
Fast tracking tests
Free or subsidised testing and training
Recognising that delivery drives are rapidly become one of the key essential services
Increasing t,s and c,s
Relaxing some EU working visa rules

The govt is now talking about doing some of the above but it's after the horse has bolted. Poor management

....maybe getting some off the dole might help..............