Thread by @kevteetrucking

The real reasons behind the #drivershortage and what to do about it....

I'm fed up of hearing corporations giving there reasons for the driver shortage to suit there agendas when really the answer is simple, it's not worth it! (2/32)

So let's start with why is there a driver shortage? There are a few reasons for this, firstly the average age of drivers is 50+ many of these are retiring faster than new drivers are coming into the industry, (3/32)

the nonsense CPC is also causing many drivers close to retirement to bow out early further exasperating the situation.

So why are the younger generation not taking up the slack? (4/32)

The world is changing at an alarming rate and so are the job ambitions amongst the younger generation, in the new world of Instagram and Tiktok the younger generation are much more inspired by dreams of lambos and huge houses with Olympic sized swimming pools, (5/32)

certainly not obtainable on a truckers wage. There's now a much more entrepreneurial spirit nowadays with many starting online businesses, buying and selling through various websites or finding and audience through social media platforms, (6/32)

the bottom line is it's much easier to earn a good living utililising today's world of the internet. If becoming the next online Richard Branson isn't your thing, (7/32)

the construction industry is booming so learning a lucrative trade is another viable alternative to pounding tarmac, with many tradesmen easily doubling a truckers salary with sociable hours and there own bed every night. (8/32)

Another down fall of the haulage industry is today's modern young people are much more health and body conscious, regular visits to the 24h gym after work and a healthy diet to maintain that Love Island bod, (9/32)

this lifestyle is much more difficult when your only option is McDonald's and layby that isn't exactly conducive to exercise.

So as you can see, (10/32)

the slow pace of the haulage industry is leaving it's self in the dark ages and is far from an aspirational option for today's youngsters.

So what can we do to fix this, well let's look at what's expected of your average HGV driver, (11/32)

early starts and late finishes with 15 hour shifts and 9 hours rest in a stinking layby being rocked to sleep by busy passing traffic with the threat of the load or fuel being stolen for 4-5 nights a week, (12/32)

then having a short weekend as your either asked to run in on a Saturday or leave early Sunday. If you are lucky enough to be a day driver and home every night, be sure to be back in the yard within 9 hours after your commute to and from, shower, food and 5 hours sleep!! (13/32)

Then your faced with warehouse staff that would rather you weren't there and make you wait 3 hours to tip the load so then there's increased pressure from planners and customers to get the next load delivered on time, (14/32)

oh and if you need the toilet in the 3 hours your waiting to tip you can forget that! Now let's move on to the driving or more like 10 hours of trying to keep moronic motorists alive and out from under the wheels of 44 tonnes, (15/32)

sometimes it can seem like your truck is a giant magnet at times with the constant cutting up and brake checking that goes on but if you as much as snear at another motorists for causing you to almost faceplant the windscreen once again there straight on the phone to the (16/32)

company, customer and traffic commissioner whilst simultaneously uploading a completely out of context video to YouTube....
This isn't helped by today's signals sent out by government that these huge beasts on our roads are awful things so there banned from city centers, (17/32)

banned from parking in Kent, responsible for all cyclists accidents and a danger to all other road users but still want all there stuff delivered for next to nothing!!! (18/32)

Considering all of the fore mentioned and the constant stress some say it's well paid for sitting on your backside all day and £700 a week doesn't seem bad but factor in the 70 hours you work and most of the time it works out a little over minimum wage. (19/32)

So what do we do? Well for a start extending driving hours for already tired and overworked drivers certainly isn't the answer, (20/32)

nor is rubbing salt in the wounds of undervalued drivers by relaxing immigration to allow cheap foreign labour to take up the slack and artificially keep wages low
We need to attract the 50k+ HGV entitled licence holders that no longer wish to drive due to current (21/32)

conditions and attract new blood into the industry, it needs to be a more appealing prospect for everyone otherwise the situation will just worsen with more drivers becoming sick to death of being kicked from every angle. (22/32)

How many other industries require you to work the maximum hours as a minimum? Not very many but that's what's expected in haulage, this needs to change, there needs to be a healthy work/life balance for those that need it, (23/32)

if you prefer to be away weeks at a time then that's should be catered for too but shouldn't be expected. Roadside facilities need to improve, increase truck parking so drivers are not forced into laybys without facilities, (24/32)

healthy affordable meal options with WiFi and exercise facilities would all help to greatly improve driver morale.
We need to change attitudes towards truck drivers, during the pandemic the truckers helped keep the country supplied and were branded essential workers, (25/32)

trucks were celebrated and the RHA want drivers listed as skilled workers but that's only to suit the agenda and there paying members. Drivers need union representation that actually has there interests in mind, (26/32)

yes this is going to cost money and yes this will come at a cost to the consumer but that has always been inevitable after a decade of artificially suppressing the cost for the sake of cheap goods, reduced food costs and free Amazon deliveries. (27/32)

This cost saving has always been passed down to the haulers and now major investment is required.

Finally drivers are so sparse we're now considered a valuable asset and wages are rising to suit, (28/32)

drivers are starting to be valued for there worth and now the government are making them work longer hours and the RHA are lobbying for cheap foreign labour to protect there members from paying drivers increased but fair rates. (29/32)

These are not the answers and if anything will force the tiny amount of drivers we have left to jump ship like the rest and seek greener pastures.

#drivershortage #logistics #hgvdrivers #hgvjobs #uktrucking @RHARichardB @RHANews @transportgovuk @GOVUK