Thread by @jayo1973

#DriverShortage is happening everywhere. We hear from different groups every day about the amount of drivers needed to keep supply chains working. Thing is this works both ways.1/

If hauliers and logistic companies didn't treat drivers like second class citizens for years this perfect storm could have been mostly avoided. Low pay, long hours, no proper facilities are just a small part of the overall problem. 2/

Hauliers since 2004 have had a steady stream of drivers from Eastern Europe, a conveyor belt if you like. Homegrown drivers were pushed aside for the lower pay maximum profit version. This in turn started the chain of events.3/

Drivers from these countries saw massive benefits from driving for companies from different countries. They could pick and choose where they wanted to go and the UK seemed a natural choice with strong Sterling and low costs. You also had the benefit of an out of date tax regime4/

That started the spiral and continuation of falling standards not just for migrants but homegrown drivers, they were basically being priced out of the market. Drivers to be fair couldn't do much else but drive so they kept their mouths shut and got on with it. 5/

Then covid arrived and not much changed bar the fact drivers couldn't get home as shipping and flights were stopped. That spooked a lot of drivers and the final straw came in December when trucks were stopped from crossing the Channel. 6/

What was happening during all this was a lot of drivers retired and were not replaced as a lot of companies were quiet due to covid. Companies thought that steady stream would continue but what they didn't realise was drivers wanted to be closer to home. 7/

Hence the mass exodus and with salaries rising in Germany etc it was easier and drivers could get home more often. Now you add brexit. Drivers couldn't be bothered applying for settled status as they wanted out and then the UK closing the borders inbound. 8/

People listen to the different groups talking about driver shortages but remember they represent the hauliers and logistics companies, the very people who in a lot of ways caused this. They talk about empty shelves and supply chains collapsing as if its just a driver problem. 9/

It's not. It's a chain of events for the last 17 years that have caused this. Shops could cope because they could use foreign hauliers to get products to shelves cheaply and efficiently under cabotage laws but that's all stopped now with brexit. 10/

Are governments to blame for this? Damn right they are along with the rest. These massive companies hold massive sway as they amalgamate and get bigger and bigger blowing away the competition and rights for drivers in doing so. 11/

Just remember everything you have was on a truck at some stage with drivers delivering your goods. Everything would stop without truck drivers guaranteed. We don't ask for much just some respect and a decent living but just get abuse day in day out and it's come full circle. 12/

I do hope this explains the reason why drivers are not there anymore and shelves are low on product.
@winding_sios @castlvillageman @vivamjm @CaptainSwing666 @nealerichmond

I think I need to add a small bit to this as people think this just a UK problem, it isn't. First of all thanks for the love. This is a worldwide problem believe it or not. Every country has shortages. Unfortunately for the UK Brexit has brought the problem to the fore.

I'll go back to what I said about cabotage. It was easy to cover it up. You have an average of 5k trucks coming into the UK every day through Dover and the majority of them would have done an internal load. That's finished now so it's more prevalent .

You have all the ingredients in a big melting pot and because of brexit it has boiled over. I'm finished now but maybe I'll do a blog and put more things in more detail. Bye and thanks.